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One of the overall learning objectives for each of our Six Sigma programs is to teach students how to think differently and to do things differently when solving problems and improving processes. A good example is the use of target values rather than specifications to define the output requirements of a process. When a specification…
So you decided that you want to take PMI’s PMP® Exam to become one of the rapidly growing number of Project Management Professionals in the world. You’ve got your book, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), and you have made sure it is the 5th edition. So now what? Well,…
The Six Sigma methodology uses facts and data to search for the root cause of problems that dissatisfy customers. An important issue that we must come to grips with is how to take customer requirements and turn them into characteristics that we can measure to see how well we are meeting the requirements. We need…
Process performance is universally described in practice by collecting data and calculating the mean (i.e. the mathematical average) performance. Unfortunately, the variation around the mean is almost never included when describing process performance. This is a critical oversight that is addressed by the Six Sigma methodology. Let me illustrate with an example that I often…
Most introductory courses in Six Sigma talk a lot about what Six Sigma is. In our Green Belt course I also include a discussion about what Six Sigma is not. I feel that this discussion is equally important when one is trying to understand the Six Sigma approach to problem solving and continuous improvement. The…
I am often asked how one should go about selecting a Six Sigma training provider and training program. Because there is no universal standard for Six Sigma certification, you should ask the following questions about any certification program that you are considering whether it is delivered online, in a classroom setting, or at the company where…
Achieving zero defects is not a dream at all, but rather a realistic goal to be pursued. We expect and demand zero defects all the time in our personal life. For example, how often is it acceptable for a plane to crash instead of successfully landing at the destination airport? How often is it acceptable…
Our Six Sigma courses include a number of lessons on hypothesis testing. The most common problems that I see with submissions for these assignments are related to how the null and alternate hypotheses are stated and how the results of the hypothesis test are expressed. The null and alternate hypotheses must be mutually exclusive, and…
In our Green Belt course I introduce the concepts of process capability and process control. I find that many students have trouble understanding the difference between the two. This is compounded by the fact that the output of a process may fall into of four possible combinations of capability and control. Process capability looks at…
Most students of Six Sigma first become exposed to the concepts and ideas that drive the approach when they enroll in a Yellow Belt or Green Belt certification course. In both of these courses as offered by Key Performance, I included an early assignment with the title “What Is Six Sigma”? In this assignment I…