Marie ThompsonSenior Program Manager| SASRaleigh, Nc, United States
Hi all!
I already have my PMP, but am looking into getting a yellow belt in Lean Six Sigma. Is this certification still relevant? Are there other/better certifications I can look into as a Program Manager in process improvement? I appreciate your help! Saving Changes...
I'd recommend your yellow belt in Six Sigma rather than LSS. Six Sigma already includes Lean principles, so combining them in one certification seems more like marketing to sell certifications to me.
The overall application concept is potentially valuable, but the statistics in six sigma is the more difficult part for most people who aren't statistics experts. For a yellow belt, which is more entry level, I would value a certification in six sigma itself more than a watered down version with less focus on the statistics. It's a more solid foundation to build upon in my own humble opinion. Saving Changes...
As a counterpoint to Keith, I'd suggest that LSS does add more value than just SS. Having a healthy amount of focus on lean will make you more confident in using tools such as SIPOCs, VSM, and identifying sources of waste. Lean is also more generally applicable than SS in many contexts, especially if getting a reliable set of statistically representative data to do analysis with is challenging.
Having done that, you could then decide whether further advancement in one or the other would make sense (e.g. GB/BB level).
Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma certifications are valuable if you are planning a career in Quality Management in the manufacturing, healthcare, technology, or pharmaceutical industries. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Marie
I also recommend LSS as well as it adds lots more value than the SS alone like Kiron mentioned.
Check SSGI (6 Sigma Global Institute). They are PMI education providers and their courses include the exam itself. I personally took their courses and they are really good, informative and self-paced courses with affordable prices.
Hope this helps.
RK Saving Changes...
Marie ThompsonSenior Program Manager| SASRaleigh, Nc, United States
Thank you all! I really appreciate the feedback! Saving Changes...
I admit that I enjoy learning and achieving a credential, and I'm no stranger to having alphabet soup on my resume, but there are some questions you might consider before pursuing this:
- Is the company you work for looking for someone with the certification/relevant experience?
- Are hiring companies that you want to work for looking for a project manager with the certification/relevant experience?
- If you look at who the certification is for, is it the right certification for a PM? Green Belt might be a better use of your time and money.
You don't know what the future will bring, so a "no" answer to these questions, today, doesn't mean the answer will always be no. I'm just suggesting that you should be clear on the value you expect to receive, and the timing for when you can expect to realize the value, when you spend your time and money on training and certification.
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1 reply by Marie Thompson
Mar 31, 2021 11:18 AM
Marie Thompson
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Thank you for your response Aaron! I 100% agree. This is the research I'm trying to do right now. Asking questions like, "Is getting this type of certification even worth my time? Is there a better certification I should go for?" Or maybe it isn't about more certifications, maybe its just about more experience. I'm not sure. I'm glad you brought up the Green belt, because that would be something I would consider instead.
I don't want to say that the company I am working for is the end all for me. I'm still unsure about what my goal industry is. I'm trying to figure out a way that I can build my own destiny, though. Process improvement has become my strong suit and the thing I am most interested in doing, so I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to build on that skill.
Saving Changes...
Marie ThompsonSenior Program Manager| SASRaleigh, Nc, United States
Mar 31, 2021 10:27 AM
Replying to Aaron Porter
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I admit that I enjoy learning and achieving a credential, and I'm no stranger to having alphabet soup on my resume, but there are some questions you might consider before pursuing this:
- Is the company you work for looking for someone with the certification/relevant experience?
- Are hiring companies that you want to work for looking for a project manager with the certification/relevant experience?
- If you look at who the certification is for, is it the right certification for a PM? Green Belt might be a better use of your time and money.
You don't know what the future will bring, so a "no" answer to these questions, today, doesn't mean the answer will always be no. I'm just suggesting that you should be clear on the value you expect to receive, and the timing for when you can expect to realize the value, when you spend your time and money on training and certification.
Thank you for your response Aaron! I 100% agree. This is the research I'm trying to do right now. Asking questions like, "Is getting this type of certification even worth my time? Is there a better certification I should go for?" Or maybe it isn't about more certifications, maybe its just about more experience. I'm not sure. I'm glad you brought up the Green belt, because that would be something I would consider instead.
I don't want to say that the company I am working for is the end all for me. I'm still unsure about what my goal industry is. I'm trying to figure out a way that I can build my own destiny, though. Process improvement has become my strong suit and the thing I am most interested in doing, so I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to build on that skill. Saving Changes...
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