Crud! Less than 3 weeks until the next CMQ/OE exam

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
and I haven't studied a wink.

I'm re-qualifying as I let my cert lapse.
Didn't study much for the CQM back in 2000 and passed.... Has it gotten harder since they changed the title?
I've got QCI's Primer.
 
L

lrowe

For what it's worth, I took what was the last bonifide CQM exam almost exactly 1 year ago and passed. But I also took 3 vaction days right beforehand to do nothing but study.

I know when I'm up for recert, they are just going to change the cert to the CMQ/OE title so my assumption is that the BOK is the same.

Hope this helps and good luck!!

Larry
 
D

Duke Okes

and I haven't studied a wink.I'm re-qualifying as I let my cert lapse.Didn't study much for the CQM back in 2000 and passed.... Has it gotten harder since they changed the title?
I've got QCI's Primer.

My view is that it's gotten easier, especially in the Leadership and Strategy sections. May be more difficult in the Customer and Supplier sections, since they raised the level of Bloom's taxonomy to which you can be tested.

Also some new topics, such as finance and risk management.
 
D

Duke Okes

P.S. It also depends on which BOK you took the exam to. The first one (1995-2000) was the easiest, the second one (2001-2005) more difficult. However, also depends on your knowledge/experience with quality. First one was very focused on process improvement teams, second one more along lines of Baldrige-level thinking.
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
And I'm reviewing the material and you know what I really hate...

being tested on trivia.

Who cares who "invented" the fishbone diagram?
Test me on how/when to apply the tool.

How does it help my career know off the cuff what standard is for what industry? I'm a manufacturing guy. I've never heard of NCQA or JCAHO.

pfah. why am I bothering?
 
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Duke Okes

And I'm reviewing the material and you know what I really hate...being tested on trivia. Who cares who "invented" the fishbone diagram? Test me on how/when to apply the tool. How does it help my career know off the cuff what standard is for what industry? I'm a manufacturing guy. I've never heard of NCQA or JCAHO. pfah. why am I bothering?

Both of these types of questions are intended to see whether you really know quality management from a broad perspective (which means you could go into any organization and apply it), or whether you rely just experience. Deming always said that without theory, there is no knowledge.

Do you know where the Trilogy comes from? COPQ? You would be expected to because a professional should know who developed the theories on which their practices are based. Think about the writers who in recent years have been nailed for plagarism ... using the work of others while claiming it is theirs.

NCQA and JCAHO are healthcare-oriented organizations. For example, most hospitals are accredited by JCAHO (similar to ISO registration). If you were to work with a hospital you would be expected to know that they also have externally imposed quality standards.

I do understand your frustration. However, two recent emails I received emphasized the individuals' narrow view of the world, their profession, and what it takes to compete in a capitalist economy. Neither has a bachelor's degree, and their current employer is closing down. Most employers expect a minimum of a BS/BA for a professional/staff role, yet these folks had been riding on their success within a specific company, and expected to be able to sell that to others. Employers (and ASQ exams) look at the big picture.
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
Both of these types of questions are intended to see whether you really know quality management from a broad perspective (which means you could go into any organization and apply it), or whether you rely just experience. Deming always said that without theory, there is no knowledge.

Do you know where the Trilogy comes from? COPQ? You would be expected to because a professional should know who developed the theories on which their practices are based. Think about the writers who in recent years have been nailed for plagarism ... using the work of others while claiming it is theirs.

NCQA and JCAHO are healthcare-oriented organizations. For example, most hospitals are accredited by JCAHO (similar to ISO registration). If you were to work with a hospital you would be expected to know that they also have externally imposed quality standards.

I do understand your frustration. However, two recent emails I received emphasized the individuals' narrow view of the world, their profession, and what it takes to compete in a capitalist economy. Neither has a bachelor's degree, and their current employer is closing down. Most employers expect a minimum of a BS/BA for a professional/staff role, yet these folks had been riding on their success within a specific company, and expected to be able to sell that to others. Employers (and ASQ exams) look at the big picture.

I hope you're not saying is that I'm not a professional because I don't know every single regulatory body I could be exposed to for the rest of my career.
Perhaps the purpose is to test how well and how fast you can look up the information?

I disagree. If I was a consultant selling my services as a quality guru, then I should probalby be expected to pepper my conversation with references to the greats.
But I'm not and neither are most people taking this exam.
I'm manager and a leader in the real world, not a guru in academia.
And I apply for jobs accordingly.
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
I think Duke has the right idea, but there are two sides to the Deming quote. While it's true that "Without theory, there is no knowledge," it's also true that theory without knowledge is pretty much useless. You have to consider the context in which the question is asked. The test has to do the best job possible in identifying people whose knowledge is generally well-rounded, and just because you don't know what NCQA is doesn't mean that you won't get certified (for which the main criterion seems to be a discernible pulse). The people who put the tests together try to determine what they think a person should know, and design the test to see how much of it they actually do know. They don't expect, however, that everyone will know everything.
 
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Duke Okes

I hope you're not saying is that I'm not a professional because I don't know every single regulatory body I could be exposed to for the rest of my career.

I disagree. If I was a consultant selling my services as a quality guru, then I should probalby be expected to pepper my conversation with references to the greats. But I'm not and neither are most people taking this exam.I'm manager and a leader in the real world, not a guru in academia. And I apply for jobs accordingly.

First paragraph - No, of course not. But you should at least know that each industry typically has its own, and yes, this is an example of the type of question you could probably look up if you didn't know the answer.

You might also look at how ASQ uses Blooms taxonomy to test each area of the BOK. They expect different levels of knowledge/capability in each area.

Second paragraph - Au contraire ... anyone in a quality manager position is a consultant, whether they know it or not. It is the QMgrs job to facilitate the implementation of quality technologies, not just in the quality department, but across the organization (e.g., proper use of surveys for customer satisfaction measurement by sales/marketing, proper design validation by product engineering, inclusion of quality responsibilities in all job descriptions by HR, etc.).

And no, you wouldn't be expected to pepper your conversation with references to the greats. That's what newbies do. However, you would, when presenting a theory by one of the greats, be expected to recognize their contributions, especially if writing an article/book, etc. And people in the real world really do this!
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
Most of the questions make sense.
It's just the trivia that I rail against.
Ask about the application or meaning of Theory of Constraints... not who got credit for devising it.
If you're asking about standards, write out that the acronyms stand for.
Ask about the application of Demings points for management.. not how many there are.
 
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