We accept that sometimes you may have to cancel your course, for full details surrounding our cancellation policy, please read our terms and conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers about our training courses
We are the only Lean Six Sigma training provider in the UK to deliver a true blended learning option, which provides a more robust and deeper understanding of the topic in a much shorter period than traditional training. We also have the unique ability to provide all of our courses online, in a classroom supported by ongoing support from dedicated Master Black Belts, or in a venue of your choosing.
We’ve been providing Lean Six Sigma training since 1999 and have a proven track record of successfully training delegates to deliver long-term, quantifiable savings at their organisations. Our trainers are all highly experienced Master Black Belts that have real-world experience across all industries and in countries around the world. We aim to make all of our delegates 100% Effective in their new roles.
We are based in the UK and offer our training services worldwide.
Our trainers are all carefully selected to ensure that only the best Master Black Belts, with years of relevant hands-on experience, deliver our courses. Each trainer has worked across multiple industries and has helped implement Lean Six Sigma and coach Belts of all levels in companies worldwide. Our trainers do everything in their power to effectively coach people through their training and successfully get Lean Six Sigma implemented in their organisation.
How do I know what course is right for me?
With so many different classifications, and a set of terminology, it can be tough to identify what type and level of training you need. Take a look at our Which Course? page for the breakdown on what the courses mean and what Belt you should take.
What's the difference between Lean and Six Sigma?
Lean is a set of tools used for eliminating waste, while Six Sigma is used to eliminate variation. You can read more about the two approaches and how they work together here.
Is the course recognised by any independent industry bodies?
We are a member of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certification Service so many of our courses have been accredited with CPD points. These points can be an effective tool in your professional development. Read more about our CPD accreditation here.
What if I can’t complete the course in the specified time?
We provide delegates with access to the course materials for as long as we think you’ll need them. You can also download the documents, so you have something to work through offline. However, if you haven’t completed your course by the time your access expires, we can organise an extension for you. Get in touch on 0800 066 3749 to see what we can do.
What happens if I don’t have a project?
Don’t worry. Although successful completion of project work is a requirement to complete some of the courses, we know that sometimes it’s not a straightforward process to be able to make changes within an organisation.
For that reason, we have a number of case studies which delegates can use in place of their projects. If you have any questions about the case studies, or to find out if your project is suitable, contact your Master Black Belt.
What is Minitab, and do I need it?
Minitab is statistical software, and is required for our Green and Black Belt courses. A 30- day trial is provided here: http://www.minitab.com/en-GB/products/minitab/default.aspx
Minitab is not used throughout the entire course, so we recommend you install the software when required. This ensures you take full advantage of the trial. If your trial expires during the course, you will either need to purchase the software direct from Minitab, or install the trial on a different machine.
System requirements for the software:
- Operating System: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or higher, Windows 8 or 8.1, Windows 10
- RAM: 512 MB (minimum); 1+ GB (recommended)
- Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon™ Dual Core, with SSE2 technology
- Hard Disk Space: 2 GB (minimum) free space available
- Screen Resolution: 1024 x 768 or higher
- Connectivity: An internet connection is required for activation of single-user licenses
Do you offer a student discount?
Yes. We offer 10% off the advertised price to students who can produce either a valid email address from an educational body (ac.uk) or an NUS card number.
Are there any associated costs?
No – Once you have paid for the course there are no further costs.
During the course you can purchase coaching sessions and extensions.
Minitab is required for the Green and Black Belt courses, and although a 30-day trial is provided, you may wish to purchase the full software.
This is available direct from Minitab; http://www.minitab.com/en-GB/products/minitab/default.aspx
How can I pay?
We accept credit card, debit card, Paypal, cheque and Bacs as payment. Should you wish to pay by cheque, please contact us beforehand as your account will need to be manually set up.
Should you need to pay via invoice/Bacs or purchase order, we can arrange this too, please call us on 0800 066 3749.
Why do I have to do some work online when it’s a classroom course?
Our classroom courses use a blended learning approach which uses a variety of different training techniques and, to really get the most out of delegates, an element of self-directed study is essential. This ensures that everyone enters the classroom at the same point so the pace of lessons is not set by the slowest learner. It also makes sure that delegates have the opportunity to undertake exercises on their own, and at their own pace, to work on topics they found challenging. This means they can take full advantage of the trainer during their classroom sessions.
Where are your open courses?
We have run previous open training courses in Leeds, London, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester at a variety of pre-approved venues. However, we’re always on the lookout for new venues, so if you don’t see a suitable region listed, get in touch on 0800 066 3749 to see what we can do.
How will I know where to go?
You will be provided with full joining instructions two to three weeks before your course commencement date. These will include the full address of the training venue, as well as daily start and finish times. If you need any more help, contact us on 0800 066 3749.
Is accommodation included?
Accommodation is not included in the course however we are happy to provide a list of hotels in close proximity to the training venues. Please get in touch on 0800 066 3749 for more details.
Is lunch included?
Yes, daily lunch and refreshments are included in the price of an open training course. Please let us know of any allergies and dietary requirements well in advance of attending your open course so we can pass these on to the training venue.
What’s included in the course?
The open course includes access to all online learning materials relevant to your course, ongoing tutor support after the training, certification upon completion, access to WiFi at the training venue and a 30-day free trial of the Minitab software (although you may need to purchase this software upon expiration of this free trial).
You are also entitled to a number of one-to-one coaching sessions depending on your course.
A case study can also be provided if you are unable to develop a project at your own organisation.
Lunch and refreshments are also provided each day, so please let us know of any allergies and dietary requirements well in advance of attending your open course so we can pass these on to the training venue.
What should I bring to the course?
You will need to bring a laptop computer and a calculator to most courses. Minitab software will need to be installed on the device prior to the course, so if it is a company laptop ensure you have the appropriate permissions to do so.
It is the responsibility of the delegate to ensure this third-party software is installed before the training course.
Minitab is a Windows-based software so it is incompatible with Mac laptops.
If you are working on a live project and want to discuss that as part of your training, please bring all the appropriate details with you.
The delivery of a learning, training or education programme by electronic means. eLearning involves the use of a computer or electronic device in some way to provide training, educational or learning material.
Our courses are provided in slide format with voiceovers from our Master Black Belts. The course will direct you through the materials, providing exercises as you progress and an exam at the end.
The training session includes various formats of media: audio, video, Powerpoint, Word, Excel and PDF. These formats will cover the topics related to each course.
Courses will receive support from our Master Black Belts via email. They are available to answer any questions regarding the course content and your project at hand.
Yes – we offer technical support via phone and Live Chat Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm GMT, and email support 24/7 (with a maximum turnaround time of 72 hours)
Our servers are capable of catering for thousands of delegates at any one time.
To prevent users handing out their login details to various people, your login will be locked to a ‘one at a time’ rule, meaning only one person can be logged in using your account at any one time. For security we track each user’s IP address once logged in, if multiple IP addresses are used over a short period of time, we may monitor your usage.
Yes! You can cancel at any time, however no refunds can be given due to the nature of the material available. Take a look at our terms and conditions for information about cancellation and refunds.
Software required
- Browser: Google Chrome
- Adobe Flash player
- Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader
- Microsoft Office 2007 or newer, or Open Office (FREE open source software to read MS Office files)
- Required for Green and Black Belt courses: Minitab (30-day FREE trial is available, one-time trial per machine)
Hardware required
- Screen Resolution – 1024 x 768 or higher
- Internet connection (broadband recommended)
- Sound card + speakers/headphones
Do you own a Mac? Our website and training courses will work, however Minitab is not currently compatible with a Mac.
Yes. Our course materials are provided in HTML5 which is a format compatible with iPads and iPhones. For iPads we recommend using the free Articulate app from the App Store (some courses will require this).
We recommend trying our free course to ensure you can use your mobile device.
You will require use of a laptop/PC to download offline files and to submit projects and for the use of Minitab.
Some Android devices work with our courses, however we cannot guarantee this. We recommend trying our demo or free course to verify compatibility with your own device.
We are so pleased when our delegates love our courses and we don’t think our relationship has to end when you finish your training. You could join our 100% Effective Network, a community of Lean Six Sigma professionals with whom we regularly share best practice, advice, new ideas, tools and resources and special offers for themselves and their companies.
If you’re a returning customer, or you’ve recommended us to someone, we’d love to hear your feedback and learn what we can do to make sure we keep getting it right for our delegates.
The impact of a Lean Six Sigma qualification on your salary expectations is dependent on your personal circumstances and which Lean Six Sigma qualification you are taking. However, this information from ITjobswatch should provide some guidance as to what a fully qualified Black Belt can expect to earn.
Lean Six Sigma is one of the most commonly used business improvement methodologies in the world, and in many professions is increasingly becoming a requirement of the role. Taking this qualification then can open up more career opportunities.
If you are taking Lean Six Sigma within a company, it can help your career progression by providing you with opportunities to manage projects and people, and give strategic input into the future direction of the company.
As an internationally recognised qualification valuable across all sectors, taking a Lean Six Sigma qualification can open up roles in different industries or even different countries.
One of the things that we at 100% Effective are most proud of is our dedication to supporting you for as long as you need it. Delegates are given access to their online course materials for up to a year (course dependent) so they can refresh their memory when necessary. However, we also offer on-going support via email and phone with your Master Black Belt whenever you need it, and up to three one to one coaching sessions (course dependant).
A dedicated Master Black Belt will also help you at each step of your project work to make sure it is at the standard necessary to certify.
If you need additional support at any point, we’re always happy to help out our past delegates, so if you tell us what you need we can make sure you’re offered the right solution.
Yes! Where applicable, our courses are provided with certification.
For Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt you must have attended the whole of a training course, obtained an 80% pass mark at an end of the training exam and have demonstrated your learning and knowledge via the successful completion of project work. Green Belts must complete one project for assessment, while Black Belts need to complete two such projects.
There is no set monetary figure to illustrate whether a project has been successful. Each project is judged on a case by case basis and assessed on how effectively the Lean Six Sigma methodologies have been applied to aid the business.
Your projects can solve any kind of problem within an organisation, as long as you have used the DMAIC process. Read the project guidelines below or contact your Master Black Belt if you need more help. If you can’t find a suitable project, you can use one of our case studies.
Yes. If you use an old project for your certification it must be put into a DMAIC format. You must be able to demonstrate that you have effectively and successfully used the tools and techniques associated with Lean Six Sigma.
The simple answer is no. All major companies run their Green Belt and Black Belt training differently. They have different durations and cover different tools. They also apply their own thinking on how they want to run continuous improvement programmes, report savings, and the paperwork or procedures to use.
As a result, the real benchmark is the best practice process used by companies such as GE, Motorola and Honeywell. This robust approach, based on training, an exam and project work, is the same one adopted by 100% Effective which is why our training is some of the best available.
Once you have attended a full Lean Six Sigma or Six Sigma training course, you can call yourself a trained Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt. However, employers today are looking for certified Green or Black Belts. This is because, by certifying, you have proven you are capable of applying the learning and have successfully run projects resulting in time and financial savings to an organisation. Certification is therefore essential to be recognised as a true Lean Six Sigma professional by your current and future employers.