Can this be true? Six Sigma BB in 8 weeks on line (http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/iclk?adurl=http://info.bisk.com/index.asp%3FSource%3D891s3&sa=l&ai=AF_o1li8mBNoiNwIszGA7UmYHlqIgHMr9ZSZAA34tB4TAlCs-BAAk2PcABUQAYaB51K8_DgDM3kzNyATN3EDAlx2ctFmcuM2btBQM2ADe2ADMfF2cAAQAAgGd0BnOv8SZsNXbhJnLj9WbvY0byVXbz9SauRWZ45CcoBHA&num=1&client=ca-pub-1385417534940691)

Without going through the hassle of corresponding with the school, I think TWO things are apparent from the blurb in the link.


It doesn't GUARANTEE 8 weeks for EVERY course - it says "as little as 8 weeks."
The certificate is simply one that Villanova issues.
Would I stake my organization's reputation on an untried individual with ONLY a Villanova "certificate" in Six Sigma as his sole credential? Unlikely. I'm pretty sure I'd need more.

Conceivably, if you have a qualifying project" under your belt already, you could get an ASQ CSSBB in the same amount of time, assuming you start a "tune up" course 8 weeks before a scheduled ASQ CSSBB exam.

That said, Villanova does not have a "schlock" reputation. It might be worthwhile to explore the issue.

It could highly depend on how much work is done during the 8 weeks. Think how much improvement can be made in a process during a 3-day Kaizen blitz.

I think the whole belt thing is a crock, so I say go the easiest and least expensive route.

I would value that certificate just as much (or little) as an ASQ certificate, maybe even more.

Carl-

Al,

You need to dig a little deeper into the Villanova site. If you go to the Six Sigma description it is described as a 16 week course. The "curriculum" is very high level and is not as extensive a description as the ASQ body of knowledge required for their Six Sigma certification.

Villanova also listed the faculty for Six Sigma. It is a mixture of academia who have worked at Six Sigma companies as consultants, adjunct professors who have or still work in Six Sigma companies and adjunct professors who appear to work full time as consultants in Six Sigma. Some have ASQ certifications in CSSBB, others from companies and one even is a CQE. Since they market to health care organizations, the one faculty member received a Six-sigma Black Belt Methodologist Certification based on her work with a Florida Hospital. That is a new one for me. I could have been a methodologist rather than just a plain old black belt.

Depending on how they teach the course and considering the length, it may be worth the cost. Whether you are trained or certified in Six Sigma, quality, statistics or any other discipline is only important if you know the theory and have applied the knowledge. There are probably certifications out there that would be a joke for some of the more experienced Covers but there are others that would require some refresher training before they could pass. Personally, I don't think the ASQ certification is so easy that anyone could pass but I also don't think that it means much if you have been using the body of knowledge for years.

Bill Pflanz

I view Six Sigma as a (re)packaging of Quality Tools and a marketing method.

There is difference between six sigma training and certification.

The time specified is for the Black Belt training only.

At least 2 projects have to be completed to get the certification. This may take few months to one year also.

If some one is giving six sigma Black Belt certificate without project completion it has no value in the job market.

There is difference between six sigma training and certification.

The time specified is for the Black Belt training only.

At least 2 projects have to be completed to get the certification. This may take few months to one year also.

If some one is giving six sigma Black Belt certificate without project completion it has no value in the job market.Most quality professionals would probably agree with you. The problem is so many folks doing the hiring stop reading after seeing the words "Six Sigma Black Belt" and have no idea there is any difference between a certificate which requires verified, completed projects and one which is merely a sheet of paper.

The problem for us as professionals is how to educate those in the hiring positions to know the difference and make hiring decisions accordingly.

Most quality professionals would probably agree with you. The problem is so many folks doing the hiring stop reading after seeing the words "Six Sigma Black Belt" and have no idea there is any difference between a certificate which requires verified, completed projects and one which is merely a sheet of paper.

The problem for us as professionals is how to educate those in the hiring positions to know the difference and make hiring decisions accordingly.

Which should also involve educating them on the general lack of value of the certificates, regardless of the source.

Which should also involve educating them on the general lack of value of the certificates, regardless of the source.Having had LOTS of interaction with 6S folk, with or without "certificates" from places like Motorola and GE and ASQ, as well as (especially in the last two or three years) a flurry of folk brandishing combo Lean/6S certificates from a variety of sources, I can state the following.

The one overriding characteristic/attribute of the 6S folk I respect is they always talk about a course of action which could generate value BEFORE they ever try to blow folks away with the fact they hold ANY 6S certificate. Some of them have gone as long as 6 months on a project before EVEN disclosing the existence of their certificate.

Conversely, the ones which irritate me, personally, are the jerks who brag about their 6S cert and their superiority in my presence without knowing anything about how much education and experience I have in 6S. Worse, they don't even have the grace to be embarrassed when I point out discrepancies in their techniques or their understanding of key aspects of 6S projects.

Having had LOTS of interaction with 6S folk...
Can you describe the nature of this interaction?

Can you describe the nature of this interaction?I could. Why is the nature of the interaction important in respect to the statement? I would think the implication of my statement was that the nature of the interaction was directly related to 6S activity as supplier, customer, colleague in my own company, colleague in ASQ, and/or instructor at Motorola's "University" where folks from Motorola experienced in using Motorola's own brand of 6S tried to teach other Quality folk their methods.

In my case, Motorola was both a customer and a supplier and throughout the 90s many quality professionals were excited by 6S as an adjunct to other statistical analyses of production until Mikel Harry decided to claim the 6S toolbox as his own creation.

As I said, I respected many practitioners of 6S, but a small number of charlatans and poseurs were leaving a bad odor which clung to even the clever guys who only thought of 6S as a tool, not a new religion with a priesthood led by guys who watched too many kung fu movies and fell in love with belts in different colors.

Hi Al

As an ex University lecturer who has taught many thousands of students both face to face and on-line, better results are usually achieved face to face.

Getting your black belt normally takes at least a year becuase you need to do 3 projects to have a really good grasp of applying six sigma principles, its all about experience.

How someone would do the training and projects in 8 weeks is beyond me and i would strongly advise against it.

If anyone came to me saying they were a black belt from this online training i would not agree and if they went for a job would not employ them.

The projects are whats important at the end of the day as this is your evidense that you understand DMAIC

Thanks

James