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Six Sigma Training has not been developed with the intention to replace TQM.

It was developed by some of the most gifted CEO s with a view to make their business successful to the maximum extent possible – with the help of the tools and techniques of the quality profession.

Then What Is The Difference?

The difference between Six Sigma Training and TQM is best described in a word – ‘management’. TQM provides broad guidelines for management. TQM is often related to the development and deployment and maintenance of organizational systems required by various processes.

Six Sigma is more for the purpose of continuous quality improvements for achieving zero defects. TQM helps in improving quality, but cannot take it ahead to continuous improvement. One major difference is visible in the approach.

TQM is more about conformance to internal requirements. Six Sigma focuses on continuous improvement and reduction in defects. The Six Sigma project is driven by the benefits from the viewpoint of the stakeholders, customers, shareholders and employees.

The outcome for both the systems is the same, achievement of better quality products. Six Sigma, however, has an edge here. It focuses on a reduction in defects and satisfying the specifications of the customers. Additionally, Six Sigma training also helps reduce operational costs.

It achieves this by reduction in cycle time, reduction in defects and cost savings – but not at the cost of the quality and value of the product. Costs that provide no value to the customers are eliminated. Such costs may be those incurred due to waste.

TQM is generally an initiative taken up at individual operational levels, and may not be within the same processes. Six Sigma training, on the other hand, aims at improving all operations in a single business process. For such projects, skilled and certified professionals are required such as Black Belts and Green Belts.

There are some team members who may be working part-time on their regular activities along with these projects. They aim at achieving the strategic goals and objectives and aligning the projects to the organizational goals. TQM projects do not necessarily need any specialists. These activities can be managed by non-dedicated managers along with their regular workloads.

Six Sigma team members work temporarily on such projects. The TQM goals are set by the quality department and are based on the assumption that the criteria are good for the quality as well as the organization. They are projects motivated by quality philosophy and undertaken by quality professionals.

Six Sigma projects start with a pre-planned project charter and with an outline of targets, highlighting prospective financial benefits and savings. Very often, organizations have implemented TQM projects without any idea of the financial benefits. The focus of TQM is on quality and performing to the standards, whereas Six Sigma focus is on strategic goals – and the metrics are based on these objectives and goals.

There are significant differences between TQM and Six Sigma – and though some tools and techniques of TQM and Six Sigma are similar, Six Sigma often has a distinct use for these tools. It seems as if Six Sigma will be more popular and achieve more that TQM.

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If you wish for a dramatic improvement in your business, what can be your best course of action? Perhaps, it would be moving towards a streamlined process that is based on a precise understanding of customers’ needs and eliminating defects in the existing processes. Six Sigma is one such tool that helps you embark upon a process to achieve or exceed such objectives.

Six Sigma offers your organization a significant benefit and a positive impact on the organization. It primarily helps to improve the processes of production and service and business processes so as to exceed the expectations of the customer. The main reasons for obtaining Six Sigma certification are firstly to display proficiency in the Six Sigma Body of Knowledge, secondly to increase the desirability by employers, and lastly to increase your productivity and salary.

Six Sigma Green Belt course trains a person to lead small project teams. It equips the person undertaking the Six Sigma Green Belt course to use basic problem solving tools, DMAIC, and aspects of DOE and SPC at the basic level. The key responsibility of a ‘Green Belt’ includes data collection along with analysis of action items.

A Green Belt workshop training generally lasts one to two weeks as compared to a black belt training, which can extend up to four weeks. The main function of Green Belts is to successfully deploy the basic Six Sigma techniques and also guide small scale improvement projects.

The Green Belts can also help in gathering data as well as performing experiments in support of Black Belt projects. A six sigma black belt trainee is trained in team building activities and in the statistical tools in more detail. The Six Sigma problem solving methods along with statistical tools help to contribute largely in an organization’s success. Six Sigma statistical methods can be successfully applied to healthcare, finance, manufacturing, government, or any other type of service or product based industry. The trainees can employ various methods for business process improvements, such as:

• Learning the Six Sigma metrics

• Integrating the lean manufacturing method with other improvement methods

• Applying the DMAIC improvement process

• Choosing successful Six Sigma teams and projects

• Execution and planning of projects

• Increasing the profitability of the organization through Six Sigma projects

• Selecting the right statistical tools

• Reducing the variation and defects

Qi2 has a computer based Training and Online Certification Program based on the Body of Knowledge formed by American Society for Quality (ASQ). The Green Belt Six Sigma training under this program offers two modules, with a two week onsite workshop or a computer based training program. Each module ends with a test, the answers of which are emailed by the candidate to the course author and instructor. We grade the results and offer answers and explanations by the turnaround email. Visit the site www.sixsigma-qi2.com and get more information about the courses offered by the company.