Originally developed by Bill Smith at Motorola in 1986, the Six Sigma Training program was created using some of the most innovative quality improvement methods from the preceding six decades. The term "Six Sigma" is derived from a field of statistics known as process capability. The term 6 Sigma refers to the ability of manufacturing processes to produce a very high proportion of output within specification. Processes that operate with "six sigma quality" over the short term are assumed to produce long-term defect levels below 3.4 defects per million opportunities. Six Sigma's goal is to improve overall processes to that level of quality or better.
A collaboration of years of proven management strategies developed into one clear and concise management program with one goal in mind, to improve the outcome of any company, whether that be a company whose goal is to provide the best customer service or the best products, the process is the same and is very simple. The goal is to eliminate defects, anything that leads to customer dissatisfaction, and improve the manufacturing and/or business processes, leading to only a successful outcome.
The Six Sigma Training Program believes in three primary principles for creating success:
- Business success is highly reliant upon reducing the amount of variation that you have in your business process.
- Manufacturing and business processes have characteristics that can be clearly measured, analyzed, controlled and improved upon.
- Achieving sustained quality improvement is the result of the entire organization working together for a common goal, especially onboard need to be the members of top level management.
Although a combination of several different ideas, Six Sigma Training is set apart from the rest. Primarily the things that set 6 Sigma apart include:
- Decisions that are based on verifiable data and not the result of assumptions and guesswork.
- A focus on attaining measurable and quantifiable financial returns from any Six Sigma project.
- A specific multi tiered infrastructure which creates a role for every person in the company to help implement the Six Sigma plan on their own level.
- An increased emphasis on strong and passionate leadership and support.
Honestly, both methods are excellent ways to get Six Sigma training. These days with so many people moving from traditional schooling to online schooling, it seems to be a very popular way to get 6 Sigma certified. Some people however prefer learning in a traditional schooling environment and that is also a very effective way to learn the 6 Sigma principles. Online training courses are a little easier to schedule in for employees around work and their other commitments. Other benefits of doing the training sessions online is that it usually decreases the companies overhead expenses for the training program and also seems to allow for a faster paced learning environment. The online training program is self paced and therefore allows more individualized instruction, because if an employee needs to spend more time on one section and less on another, they can do so with ease, and without holding up the group as a whole.
