TS ISO 18404

TS ISO 18404 defines the competencies for key personnel involved in Six Sigma, Lean, and combined Lean & Six Sigma implementation, together with the organizations that support those roles. It provides a common framework for attaining specific competency levels, with roles such as Black Belt, Green Belt, and Lean practitioner at the center of the document.

Competency structure and role levels

Six Sigma is generally associated with data-driven improvement, variation reduction, and disciplined problem solving. Lean focuses on eliminating waste, improving flow, and strengthening activities that create customer value. In that general technical context, the competencies addressed by this standard help define how knowledge, practical skill, and implementation capability are organised for people working in separate or combined improvement systems.

Scope boundaries and exclusions

• Yellow Belt is not included in this standard.
• Design for Six Sigma is excluded.
• The standard is intended to set out the competencies required for individual certification and/or an organisation’s certificate.
• It covers key personnel levels used in Six Sigma, Lean, and Lean & Six Sigma deployment.

In practical terms, a standard of this kind helps training, role definition, and assessment methods use the same vocabulary across improvement programmes. That makes it easier for organisations to structure expectations for project leadership, process analysis, and continuous improvement work in a consistent way.