Six Sigma Blog

Dual Certification Offered at ISSSC

ISSSC, in association with the Harrington Institute, is the first national company to offer dual certifications during Six Sigma Training and Certification courses. Students in ISSSC's Green Belt courses can obtain their Six Sigma Green Belt and their Certified Manager Process Improvement (CMPI).

Tests for both certifications will be conducted at the end of 3-day course. Six Sigma and Project Management certifications are beneficial in today's business world for job placement and advancement. Six Sigma's methodology is essential in consistently delivering projects on time.

You can get a detailed information on Six Sigma certification from my previous post titled "What Is Involved In Six Sigma Certification?".

Six Sigma IQ Excellence Awards

The Six Sigma IQ Excellence Awards have been established to honor, recognize and promote Six Sigma projects that demonstrate best practices and to expand and increase the implementation of Six Sigma methodology globally. To reward the highest achieving individuals, teams and the projects in Six Sigma, these awards serve as a fantastic opportunity to credit the hard work and dedication devoted by many to Six Sigma. Six Sigma IQ has assembled a list of Six Sigma experts and leaders to evaluate the effectiveness of the Six Sigma projects.

Read my previous post titled "What Is Six Sigma Certification?" to know about Six Sigma Certification.

Six Sigma Black Belt Training

Recently, I have browsed through the website of Breakthrough Management Group (BMG). BMG is offering Six Sigma Black Belt Training and Certification Program that builds competent, data-driven Six Sigma practitioners. BMG's training seems to be a comprehensive training program. It follows the DMAIC phases and teaches candidates how to integrate a variety of Six Sigma tools into an overall approach to process improvement.

To know more about DMAIC, read my previous post titled "DMAIC and DMADV in Six Sigma".

BMG's training program teaches students to define and launch a project. It also gives them idea on how to transition it from phase to phase. BMG takes a real-life approach to Six Sigma Black Belt training. The Black Belt program is technically designed to ensure that all graduates learn how to implement solutions that can produce financial results.

What Is Involved In Six Sigma Certification?

Recently, I had written a post titled "What Is Six Sigma Certification?" that focused on Six Sigma certification. Today, I will discuss what exactly is involved in a Six Sigma certification. Six Sigma certification requires learning the appropriate subject matter to pass a written proficiency test and displaying competency in a hands-on environment. The materials can be purchased from almost any Six Sigma training and consulting company. It always comes bundled with classroom training. Usually, you or your company will purchase a training session that has different bodies of knowledge and durations for each Six Sigma level.

The different levels of Six Sigma certifications include Green Belt, Black Belt and Master Black Belt. The written proficiency test may be given by the training company or the business hiring the training company. Companies that have been conducting in-house training for years can create and administer their own written proficiency tests. When you clear Six Sigma training, you will have to complete one or two quality projects and display competency in applying the concepts learned in the classroom training.

What Is Six Sigma Certification?

Six Sigma certification is a confirmation of one's capabilities with regard to specific competencies. Like other quality certifications, it does not indicate that an individual is capable of unlimited process improvement. The certification just indicates that an individual has completed the necessary requirements from the company granting the certification.

If you get a Six Sigma certification, there is no doubt that you have passed the minimum guidelines and requirements to become a Six Sigma professional. Certification does not prove a person's skill or efficiency. It just certifies the individual as trained enough to handle the quality analysis in the company. Even if you are a trained person, there is no guarantee that you can be an able administrator. Six Sigma certification is just one of such examples.

UC Irvine Extension Launches Six Sigma Lean Green Belt Course

In order to meet the industry requirements for skilled and efficient professionals, UC Irvine Extension launched the innovative course, "Six Sigma Lean Green Belt". The course will be held from September 15 until November 4 at UCI Learning Center in Orange, Calif. The course has been designed to cater to professionals in a variety of industries ranging from manufacturing to service.

Six Sigma Lean combines the Six Sigma methods for reducing errors, coupled with Lean techniques to simplify process. Companies across the world are successfully using the techniques for improving business performance through product and process excellence. The "Six Sigma Lean Green Belt" course at UC Irvine Extension teaches all these proven improvement methods. I am sure that this course will help individual to brush up their skills.

Batch of 44: Six Sigma black belts in the Navy

First the army, now the navy. The armed forces certainly seem to have caught on to the benefits of Lean Six Sigma in a big way. It almost seems like a policy move to inculcate Six Sigma practices in the men in uniform.

Lean Six Sigma black belts were presented to 44 Naval service personnel at the Pentagon in the presence of Ronald D. Atkinson, president-elect of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), and Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter. The certifications are part of the collaboration between the Department of Navy and ASQ to develop a testing standards program in the Navy. Reliable Plant reports:

The Navy and Marine Corps Acquisition Enterprise that designs, develops, builds, and supports the U.S. fleet of ships, aircraft, and combat systems, recognizes the importance of providing certification through an authoritative third-party source such as ASQ. Multiple Navy commands were involved with development of this process.

The black belts will certainly have the added edge in interacting with other personnel in the Navy, and will hopefully pass on their learning experience. That apart, there are about 750-800 budding black belt experts in the Navy.

Ford Praises Freudenberg NOK for Six Sigma Capabilities

Freudenberg NOK has recently received the recognition of achievement award from Ford Motor Company for its consumer-driven Six Sigma accomplishments. The award is part of Ford's World Excellence Awards program. It recognizes suppliers who attain highest levels of cost, quality and delivery. The award is given to suppliers who achieve customer satisfaction by providing significant contributions in key areas such as environmental leadership, consumer-focused technology and consumer-driven Six Sigma. Six Sigma is one of the pillars of Freudenberg NOK's growth program that focuses on superior quality, service and productivity. Freudenberg NOK has 61 Six Sigma black belts who ensure superior quality and enhance reliability.

According to Reliable Plant -

Ford presented more than 60 awards to its global suppliers for their outstanding performance in 2005 during an awards ceremony in early May. More than 150 of Ford's largest production and non-production suppliers from 17 countries attended the eighth annual event.

Ford Recognizes Freudenberg-NOK for Six Sigma Capabilities

In a significant development, Freudenberg-NOK recently received recognition of achievement award from Ford Motor Company for its consumer-driven Six Sigma accomplishments. The award is part of Ford's World Excellence Awards program. It recognizes suppliers who not only achieve the highest levels of cost, quality and delivery, but also people who embrace the vision to build Ford's legacy and drive innovation to new heights. The recognition of achievement award honors suppliers who influence customer satisfaction by providing significant contributions in key areas including environmental leadership, customer-focused technology and consumer-driven Six Sigma.

According to Reliable Plant -

Freudenberg-NOK's Advanced Vibration and Acoustics (AVA) group was charged with optimizing the sealing isolation system and the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics for a cam cover design. AVA has developed techniques to synergize sealing and NVH, which are typically opposing phenomena.

Exervio Consulting's Design for Six Sigma Green Belt Certification

Exervio Consulting has announced the design for Six Sigma Green Belt Certification. Exervio has collaborated with a leading global financial services firm for execution of strategic projects within fulfillment operations and transactions services. Exervio Consulting has launched the design for Matt Pagel, management-consulting manager. Pagel was able to successfully execute the design for Six Sigma methodology and obtain green belt certification for his project. According to him, an estimated annual cost saving of $1.03 million can be achieved each year through this initiative. Charlotte dBusiness News has published an article on the Same Topic.

Exervio is a management and information technology-consulting firm with offices in Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, NC. Exervio serves local clients by deploying small, senior-level consulting teams to manufacturing, retail, financial, government and other industries.