Page 59 - Six Sigma Demystified

40 Six SigMa DemystifieD

experience to the attendees. Project data are used in the workshops wherever
possible so that students can effectively apply the subject matter to real- world
examples. Since open discussions of confidential process data are not well facili-
i
tated in a public seminar, effective black belt training often is limited to n- house
courses (blended with online training, as discussed earlier).
The flow of the course material roughly follows the DMAIC process so that
the appropriate tools and concepts are taught and applied at each stage of proj-
ect deployment. The black belt training requires the use of suitable Six Sigma
software, such as shown in the examples throughout this book. Because of the
availability of software, the course material may concentrate on the application
and use of statistical tools rather than on the detailed derivation of the statisti-
cal methods.
A suggested schedule of training topics is provided in Table 2.3. While there
is a credible argument that many Six Sigma projects will require use of only a
handful of tools and that a portion of these will require only rudimentary sta-
tistical knowledge, black belts nonetheless need to learn these skills. Black belts
should be taught to think critically and challenge conventional thought. Suc-
cessful breakthrough thinking requires rigorous analysis. Black belts must be
taught to accept ideas and opinions as just that, with their limitations, and to
use the power of the analytical tools to prove the solutions and their assump-
tions. This applies equally to manufacturing and service applications. The sta-
tistical tools allow black belts to prove concepts with minimal data and process
manipulation so that great advances can be made in a short amount of time.
Problems that have gone unsolved for years can be attacked and conquered.
Data- driven decision making becomes the rule, not the exception.
Six Sigma certification demonstrates an individual’s knowledge, skills, and

dedication to achieving a high level of competency in the Six Sigma process.
The certification criteria are varied. For some companies, completion of a
course and a single project suffices. The American Society for Quality (ASQ)
applies a rather simple scheme: passing a written exam, with a signed affidavit
attesting to completion of either two projects or one project and three years’
experience in the body of knowledge. While the exam offers some proof of the
skills learned by the black belt, the completion of two projects certifies success-
ful application of the skills.
The International Quality Federation (IQF, www.iqfnet.org) provides an
online certification exam that can be used by an organization as part of its cer-
tification process. While the ASQ exam prohibits the use of a computer, the IQF
certification mandates its use. In this way, the IQF certification testing is much