Participant stories

Learning by doing

At DEPLOY Training & Coaching we believe that learning only becomes truly valuable when it is applied directly in practice. That is why participants in our Lean Six Sigma programmes always work on their own improvement project. On this page we share a selection of participant stories and practical cases that show how theory, practice and personal development come together.

Participant reflections

What participants take away

BuyBay | From theory to practice

Rick Gerrits · Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

During the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt programme, Rick Gerrits applied Lean directly within BuyBay, an organisation focused on circular e-commerce and zero waste. By working in a structured way with Lean Six Sigma, he worked on inventory processes, data analysis and KPI management. The programme offered practical tools and strengthened his motivation to implement improvements.

“What I find valuable about LEAN is the structures and the methodical approach.”
— Rick Gerrits (translated from Dutch)

View the reflection (PDF, in Dutch)

Chefs Culinar | Lean leaves you wanting more

Demi Vlaanderen · Lean Green Belt

At Chefs Culinar, Demi Vlaanderen worked during her Lean Green Belt programme on improving and documenting internal processes in a fast-growing organisation. Applying Lean created more clarity, faster onboarding of new employees and better collaboration. The combination of theory, practice and reflection proved crucial to making improvements land sustainably.

“Getting people on board was the most valuable lesson for me. When people notice the benefits, they become engaged.”
— Demi Vlaanderen (translated from Dutch)

View the reflection (PDF, in Dutch)

Cremer Speciaalmachines | From improving yourself to guiding others

Bert · Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

During his Black Belt programme at DEPLOY, Bert is investigating fluctuations in manufacturing costs at Cremer Speciaalmachines. At the same time, he is guiding two Green Belts through their improvement project. Analyses with Minitab provide surprising insights and challenge earlier assumptions. The combination of statistical depth, practical application and individual coaching helps him grow as an analytical sparring partner and as a coach to others.

“I am learning to look beyond my first conclusion and to guide others in their improvement project.”
— Bert (translated from Dutch)

View the reflection (PDF, in Dutch)

International technology company

International technology company | More structure in complex improvement projects

Renske · Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

As a project professional at an international technology company, Renske works on complex improvement projects. During her Green Belt programme at DEPLOY, she learned to use familiar tools more deliberately within the DMAIC structure. This gave her more overview, a clearer sequence and a firm basis for bringing stakeholders along. Sustaining improvements also received more explicit attention: from a good analysis to a solution that keeps working.

“I already knew many of the tools, but above all the training gave me structure.”
— Renske (translated from Dutch)

View the reflection (PDF, in Dutch)

Superunie | More structure and progress in projects

PMO professional · Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

At Superunie, a PMO professional works on structuring and prioritising projects and connecting them to the strategy. During his Green Belt programme at DEPLOY, he gained more tools and a firmer basis for tackling improvements in a structured way. The spread of the training sessions, the small group and the personal coaching helped him apply what he learned directly in his daily work.

“The one-to-one coaching is what makes this training special.”
— PMO professional (translated from Dutch)

View the reflection (PDF, in Dutch)

Rituals | From strategy to measurable results

David Nijman · Lean Six Sigma Champion

As a programme manager at Rituals, an international lifestyle brand, David Nijman works on translating strategy into concrete objectives and initiatives. During the Lean Six Sigma Champion programme at DEPLOY, he deepened his knowledge of strategy execution, governance and change management. The OGSM principles helped him in sessions such as ‘Look Back and Far Ahead (2030)’ and ‘Game Plan 2027’, and the ADKAR model in involving stakeholders early around a new Transport Management System. By applying theory directly and reflecting during individual coaching, he strengthened his approach as a programme manager.

“Successful change starts with involving and preparing stakeholders early, not only at the point of implementation.”
— David Nijman (translated from Dutch)

View the reflection (PDF, in Dutch)

Practical assignments

Practical assignments: one-pagers

In addition to these reflections, participants create a one-pager of their practical assignment. In it they summarise the challenge, their approach and the outcomes or expected results. Below are four examples.

From data to decisive action

Jordy Verheijden · Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

In his Green Belt project, Jordy investigated how inventory processes could be improved to increase delivery reliability. Using data analysis, Pareto analyses and a structured Lean Six Sigma approach, he developed two improvement pilots. The one-pager describes the approach and the expected financial and operational effects after implementation.

View the one-pager (PDF, in Dutch)

Insight into inventory

Douwe Feenstra · Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

In his Green Belt case study, Douwe focused on improving the reliability of inventory data. Through Gemba walks, SIPOC analyses and standardisation, structural causes were addressed and processes were better secured. This created a firmer basis for reliable inventory information in daily operations.

View Douwe's Green Belt case study (PDF, in Dutch)

More time for value adding activities

Ming Him Hau · Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Within the Supply Chain teams at Boost & People, Ming investigated where valuable time was lost. Using a Time Motion Study, Pareto analysis and root cause analysis, he mapped the main causes. His improvement project aims to reduce non-value-adding activities by 20%, so that employees have more time for activities that genuinely add value.

View Ming's Green Belt case study (PDF, in Dutch)

Getting registration right the first time

Daan Koopman · Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Daan wanted professional coffee machines to be installed right the first time, but registration in Salesforce proved not sufficiently unambiguous for that. The focus therefore shifted to getting registration right the first time. Using SIPOC, a fishbone diagram and a Pareto analysis of around 20,000 rows of service job data, he developed standard subjects in a Salesforce template. These are estimated to cover 80% of common service jobs; implementation and knowledge transfer are still to follow.

View Daan's Green Belt case study (PDF, in Dutch)

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In the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt programme you work on an improvement challenge from your own organisation.

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