Obtaining Your Lean Six Sigma Certification By KPMG

Obtaining Your Lean Six Sigma Certification By KPMG

A KPMG representative once told me that when it came to lean six sigma, “The definition is ‘a business measurement process designed to improve efficiency and quality of manufacturing and supply chains through a systematic approach’. In other words, this means taking a statistical approach to eliminating defects”. He continued, “To be able to come up with a statistical method that will reduce the number of defects, the Six Sigma trained person must first understand and define what a defect is. Deficiencies are not just black marks on production or plant walls – they are symptoms of wrong direction.”

The definition of a “defective process” was rejected and therefore six sigma was shelved for the time being. Two years later, however, the Lean Six Sigma program was approved and green lighted for full deployment. What had happened? The KPMG representative explained to me that his firm had first conducted an analysis of the HP-aerosciences lean management strategy and found that it included six sigma elements. The representative went on to say that the company now had a lean Six Sigma implementation in place, but wanted to ensure that all employees were fully trained and that they “really do understand and execute the Six Sigma Process correctly”.

He went on to explain that the company was still looking for support in the form of six sigma certification for its employees, and that there would be a few employees who would continue to work their way through the program while the others were trained at the factory. I asked him why he thought training programs in lean six sigma were so important and he said, “Many Six Sigma Projects fails because the culture did not exist. The management did not set the standard and everyone was trying to manage the project in their own way. Training needs to be more structured and aligned with the company goals and objectives”.

As I sat there digesting this information, I could not help to ask myself, why weren’t the employees doing this already? If you have a highly functioning team with high production standards, then why not provide them with a formal Six Sigma training program as part of your overall lean six sigma methodology? After all, the Six Sigma Certification is just one element of the overall process, and if everyone is on the same page, fewer mistakes are made. Also, I wondered how much lean Six Sigma green belt training would cost? And why did the KPMG representative think it was important to train all of the employees using a “one size fits all” methodology?

It turns out that when the company started looking into the six sigma concept, they actually conducted several pilot studies using teams of two and four employees. They found that overall employee participation increased by 24% versus a control group that didn’t receive any training. Yet, when they asked employees what they learned, they said they really didn’t understand anything. This led to further research, where they found that employees who received six sigma green belt training performed better and had higher job satisfaction than those who didn’t. Employees also believed that the new training provided them with more control over the work process and were more committed to the company’s success.

So if everyone in the company receives a lean six sigma certification, how does that relate to KPMG’s certification? Well, in order for companies to truly reap the benefits of lean Six Sigma, every aspect of the business needs to be aligned including quality, reduction in defects, and an increase in efficiency. This means not only that the Six Sigma Process is used to improve overall production and process, but that employees are trained on the best practices and are given the tools to truly drive improvement through a continuous improvement approach.

This is why it is important for companies to not only use lean Six Sigma as a strategy to achieve quality improvement, but that they also work with KPMG to receive their lean six sigma certification. The knowledge that the employees have is going to make a tremendous difference in the productivity of the company and will significantly reduce the number of defects that are being produced. While there are some companies that don’t feel that they need to partner with KPMG, many highly ranked companies have chosen to work with KPMG because they know that the training and tools that they provide are going to help them drive their business forward and help them increase profits.

When you’re looking into getting your lean six sigma certification, make sure that you are working with a provider who is well respected and has a track record for providing excellent training and tools. Make sure that they can demonstrate their capabilities and have a solid reputation in the Six Sigma industry. You want to work with a provider who can help you achieve your goals, so make sure that you do your homework and consider all options. The process of obtaining lean six sigma certification by KPMG is certainly faster and easier than if you were to do it on your own. Make sure that you take the time to do your research and see what options are available to you when it comes to getting this certification.

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