Business Management ABCs

Six Sigma Certification and How Best to Go About It

Six Sigma certification is available from a number of bodies in this day and age, with no single centralised certifying authority. This presents a conundrum for many – if there was a single certifying body then there would be no question over who would be the best training provider. As it is, the best advice that can be given to anyone looking for a Six Sigma training provider is to thoroughly research their options before making a decision. From the opinions and experiences related on the Internet it is clear that some companies have been less than happy with the service they received, while others are quick to say how satisfied they are with the results of their training program.

When you sign up for Six Sigma certification, the most likely process for you will be to book classroom training, which will entitle you to the course literature free of charge. Depending on the training body you have enjoined to carry out the training, the likelihood is that the training process will be divided between green belts, black belts, master black belts and so on, ensuring that the process is as streamlined as it possibly can be. Companies such as Motorola and GE – the early adopters of the program – do have an advantage, as their continued use of Six Sigma since the 1980s means it is now more or less part of the organisation’s DNA. Other companies will, initially, need to hire trainers until such time as they appoint their own in house Six Sigma training providers.

There has been talk of standardising Six Sigma certification, although any time frame on this is not as yet forthcoming. The hope is that in bringing in a standardised system there would be a greater level of quality control. Although the messages of Six Sigma are ones that it would benefit any company to learn, the impact of the message is often dictated by the skill of the messenger in delivering it.

At the moment the problems inherent in Six Sigma Certification are that – although the standardised written tests vary very little between training programs, the practical side of matters is judged immensely differently from course to course. In order to know which would be the best training program for a company of your size, the best bet is to get on a forum and discuss with people in similar business situations to you what option they took.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.