The Six Sigma program is designed to improve quality and performance, while also cutting costs. When adopted company-wide, Six Sigma can help improve efficiency and boost customer loyalty. And for individuals, Six Sigma can help them make a greater contribution to their companies, while enhancing their value to current and potential employers.

Six Sigma works by identifying and eliminating problems within manufacturing or service. The certification system for works similarly to that of the belt system in martial arts: individuals earn rankings ranging from yellow belt to black belt. Options for Six Sigma education and training for beginners include:

1. In-person Six Sigma training, offered by many universities
2. Online or self-study training
3. Certification in Six Sigma
   

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Consider a university-based Six Sigma program

Many colleges and universities offer Six Sigma training programs. With this option, you can be assured that you're receiving instruction from an accredited institution that understands how Six Sigma affects business practices.

I recommend: The University of Notre Dame, through its Mendoza School of Business, offers online Six Sigma training through its Executive Education program. North Carolina State University offers self-study and in-person Six Sigma education.

Receive Six Sigma certification

With so many companies adopting Six Sigma practices, earning certification is becoming more important for both businesses and individuals. Companies can become more competitive, and employees increase their hiring potential.

I recommend: Cornerstone Six Sigma Consulting offers in-person training, self-study programs, e-learning and live webinars for corporations, small businesses and self-employed professionals. Cornerstone offers training for the yellow belt, green belt and black belt levels. Aveta offers self-paced, online training for Six Sigma certification at the yellow belt, green belt and black belt levels.

Learn anywhere, anytime with Six Sigma online training and self-study

Even if you can't attend in-person training, you can still find high-quality Six Sigma training that prepares you for certification at all of the levels. Through online and other self-study Six Sigma programs, you can learn wherever and whenever most convenient--without sacrificing the quality of instruction.

I recommend: Learn Six Sigma from Motorola, the company that developed it, through its online Motorola University. Motorola University offers both beginning courses such as "Six Sigma e-Foundations" and more advanced courses like "Six Sigma e-Green Belt." Villanova University offers web-based Six Sigma training in both basic Six Sigma principles, and specific areas, such as Six Sigma for healthcare, financial services or information technology.

If you're in manufacturing, opt for Lean Six Sigma certification

Lean Six Sigma training combines lean manufacturing techniques and Six Sigma principles to improve everything from customer service to quality to cost. If you run a manufacturing company, you may want to train your entire staff in Lean Six Sigma, to ensure company-wide improvement and growth.

I recommend: The Lean Six Sigma Academy offers free online Six Sigma and lean manufacturing articles. Smarter Solutions uses training, consulting and coaching to help companies learn and implement Lean Six Sigma techniques. Smarter Solutions uses "Executive Overviews," a series of presentations and workshops, along with Six Sigma certification training and e-Learning.

Pursue Six Sigma education and training to increase your profits by eliminating variability, defects and waste that can undermine your customers' loyalty. Through your Six Sigma program you will learn how to improve the capability of your business processes, increase your performance and decrease your process variations.

By utilizing your Six Sigma training, you will notice defect reduction and improvement in your profits, your employee morale and the quality of your product.

To determine what Six Sigma training is right for you:

1. Determine the level to which you want to pursue your Six Sigma training. You can casually seek information, or seek certification.

2. Identify your budget for Six Sigma training. Invest in 6 Sigma certification programs of study, or stick to a leaner budget and free online offerings.

3. With any learning opportunity, determine how much time you can allot to your training. Most of the programs are offered online and can be worked around your schedule. You will have to fit them in, however, for your training to be cost-effective and successful.

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Look for accredited six sigma education programs

Pursue your six sigma education through an accredited university or organization.

I recommend: Check out the Six Sigma courses offered by Carnegie Mellon University. Find yellow belt, green belt and black belt certification through the self-paced Six Sigma training program offered through Aveta. Enroll in the Six Sigma Executive Education course of study through the Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. Look at the Six Sigma learning opportunities offered by NC State University.

Find free Six Sigma education and training materials

You can easily find free Six Sigma information online. From free trials to information to tutorials, there is a wealth of information to be found.

I recommend: Download and test drive JMP 7 free for 30 days from JMP, a business division of SAS. Take the free Six Sigma online training modules from Motorola. Find free Six Sigma online tutorials from Six Sigma Tutorial. You can also download free eBooks in a pdf format.

Take a Six Sigma certification program

Pursue a Six Sigma certification program to obtain your 'belt.'

I recommend: Take a Six Sigma belt certification practice test from iSixSigma. There you can also find a plenitude of free Six Sigma training information. Consider the Six Sigma Certification Course from Kaplan Continuing Education. Earn Six Sigma Certification in eight weeks from Villanova University. Become an expert through Cornerstone Six Sigma Consulting's Six Sigma black belt certification and training program.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Pursuing Six Sigma education can be a career stepping stone that is vital to your upward movement. If you are interested in Six Sigma training, invest in a Six Sigma certification so that you have an end result to show employers.

The Six Sigma program is a management tool originally developed in 1986, to eliminate manufacturing defects. It has now spread to sectors outside manufacturing industry, and a defect is now characterized as anything that can lead to customer dissatisfaction. The program is precise and well defined, with those getting to the top working with Six Sigma education and training being awarded black belt status.

The term sigma is used in mathematics and other disciplines to represent standard deviation. The term Six Sigma is derived from the idea that if a process as six standard deviations from the process mean to the nearest specification limit it is practically impossible to have a production items not meet production specifications. The program originated at Motorola, was brought to prominence as a management tool by Jack Welch when he was CEO at GE, and is now a leading total-quality initiative.

1. Learn about the Six Sigma program, get a Six Sigma education and apply Six Sigma principles.

2. Obtain six sigma certification through Six Sigma online training or Six Sigma classroom and practical training.

3. Become an expert by going through Six Sigma black belt certification and lean Six Sigma training

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Review the definition and history of Six Sigma and certification in Six Sigma

Before working with Six Sigma education and training, it is important to understand the ideas behind the origin of the Six Sigma program and how it helps the companies that adopt it. Proper implementation of 6 Sigma training can save companies money through greater customer satisfaction and fewer production defects and management errors. Many think that 6 Sigma certification is a key to success.

I recommend: Six Sigma originated at Motorola, and its website has an excellent primer and glossary of terms. North Carolina State University has studied Six Sigma and offers an update on how it has worked for companies in the first 17 years after its debut.

Discover options for Six Sigma training, including online and classroom training

Once you have learned about the Six Sigma program and have decided it is a fit for you or your company, you will want to become thoroughly trained on the processes. Your considerations will include private training, group training, executive training, or online training.

I recommend: The official 6 Sigma website has pages that describe training program options, courses, the difference between black belts and green belts, and how to apply your training. Aveta Business Solutions offers an extensive list of Six Sigma online courses if self-paced training programs which could be completed in your home or office are more appealing.

Apply your 6 sigma training in real-life business situations

Training is not an end in itself. Truly working with Six Sigma education and training includes figuring out how to deploy the program where you work.

I recommend: Six Sigma deployment was written by Cary Adams, Praveen Gupta and Charles E. Wilson Jr. This book is written for someone who has finished some coursework and wants to apply what has been learned. This site also hosts a Six SIgma Training and Events Calendar for those interested in attending courses.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Six Sigma belt certification represents a commitment to quality and service excellence. Make Six Sigma certification a requirement at your workplace and let clients know about this achievement.

Six Sigma methodology works to identify deficiencies and errors in production and business operations and remove them in an effort to achieve increased profits and/or reduced costs. A method of analyzing production and operations within your organization is DMAIC – define, measure, analyze, improve and control. There are team members within the Six Sigma methodology, each serving a different function: Executive Leadership, Champions, Master Black Belts, Black Belts and Green Belts.

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DMAIC

DMAIC refers to the five phases of analyzing production and operations within an organization. The five phases are define, measure, analyze, improve and control. During the define phase, a team is created and goals developed. The measure phase involves identifying measures and collecting data. The analyze phase involves the analysis of data and identification of root case. The improve phase is where solutions are identified based on data analyzed. The final phase, control, is where the implementation of solutions occurs.

I recommend: Refer to the iSixSigma website for more detailed information on DMAIC.

Executive leadership coaching

Executive Leaders are those team members, such as executive officers, of Six Sigma that provide other team members the flexibility and tools necessary to develop solutions to improve production and profits for the organization. Executive leadership coaching involves instructing individuals on how to manage risks, review the organization and lead continuous improvement initiatives.

I recommend: For information on executive leadership coaching, refer to the Improvement and Innovation website.

Champions training

Champions, according to Six Sigma methodology, are those individuals, such as senior management, who are responsible for the acceptance of Six Sigma within the organization and serve as advisers to Black Belts. Six Sigma Champions training involves developing skills to guide change, identifying and managing Six Sigma projects and evaluating accomplishments.

I recommend: Refer to the IMEC website for more information on Champions training.

Master Black Belts training

Master Black Belts, handpicked by Champions, serve as instructors regarding the Six Sigma methodology and direct Black Belts and Green Belts. Master Black Belts training involves statistical instruction, such as nonparametric analysis and advanced regression methods.

I recommend: For more information on Master Black Belts training, refer to the SixSigma.us website.

Black Belts training

Black Belts, according to Six Sigma methodology, concentrate on implementing problem solving projects, unlike Champions and Master Black Belts, who identify potential Six Sigma projects.

I recommend: Refer to ASQ for more information on Black Belts training.

Green belts training

Green Belts receive direction from Black Belts in the Six Sigma methodology. Green Belts training provides individuals a synopsis of the Six Sigma fundamentals, their functions and responsibilities within Six Sigma and problem solving.

I recommend: Refer to the Gatlin Education Services website for more information on Green Belts training.