It Takes Both: A Six Sigma and PMP Certification

Over time, Six Sigma and project management have successfully used around struggling companies or made good organizations even better. Both focus on specialized strategies to create better business outcomes. They approach this goal in many ways.

Six Sigma is a methodology designed to recognize defects and variation in a process. Using Six Sigma tools and techniques, an organization can reduce mistakes, cut costs, increase efficiency, produce better products and services, and become more aggressive in the marketplace.

Project management involves creating and managing projects that finish on time, within budget, and with an outcome that matches the project's original business goal.

Employees who become adept at Six Sigma earn certifications at several color-coded levels. Those who require to become experts in project management typically earn a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification through the Project Management Institute.

Earning either certification can help elevate an employee’s standing within an organization and make them more attractive job candidates for leadership positions.

Earning a PMP Certification

The Project Management Institute, founded in 1969, offers the PMP certification, generally regarded as the most industry-recognized certification for project managers. Professionals can prepare to earn the certificate by taking classes offered through universities and colleges. Classes are offered on-campus or 100% online.

A PMP certification means that a person has achieved expert level status in utilizing the more than 42 tools of project management and proves their competence as a project manager. The PMP Exam is based on A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK Guide), maintained by PMI, which includes standardized best practices for approaching various project challenges.

The main goal of a project manager is to increase the success rate of projects. That involves vital areas such as defining goals with organizational executives, setting and staying within a budget, developing a project into smaller segments and guiding a team to complete those tasks, and eventually completing the project by deadline and with a quality result that aligns with overall business goals.

Six Sigma Certification

Training and education is key to Six Sigma success, and it helps prepare professionals for leadership roles. Employees learn Six Sigma at various levels indicated by color-coded belts. They are White Belt, Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt in ascending order.

To lead a Six Sigma project, a person typically requires to have reached the Black Belt level.

Six Sigma concentrates on a data-driven examination of a process that identifies and eliminates defects. Its goal is to have no more than 3.4 defects per one million opportunities. Getting there requires leveraging various strategies and tools, most involving a detailed look at every operation phase. Applying Six Sigma tools and techniques can improve customer and employee satisfaction and improve the overall bottom line.

Main Differences Between the PMP and Six Sigma Certifications

Here are some of the differences between the PMP and Six Sigma certifications:

• A PMP certification focuses on improving the success rate of projects. A Six Sigma-certified employee focuses on finding and eliminating defects within a specific process.
• A certified Six Sigma professional aims to reduce wasted time, effort, and money on a specific process, while a PMP certified professional focuses on planning and executing a project.
• Six Sigma projects have a continuous control phase, while project management focuses on completing a project by a specific deadline.
• A Six Sigma professional uses data-driven methods and statistics to identify and solve a challenge. In contrast, a PMP certified project manager uses standardized practices to deliver a project that efficiently meets a pre-determined goal.

How They Work Together?

Six Sigma certified professionals can help get a PMP certification, and a project manager can find content with a Six Sigma certification. A Six Sigma professional is an expert at detecting and solving a problem, and a PMP certified project manager is an expert at precisely implementing the project itself. Used together, a practitioner can recognize a problem and then use project management training to ensure the solution is implemented most efficiently and effectively possible.

Someone who has earned a Six Sigma belt - particularly those at the Black Belt level - have become experts at using proven methodologies to solve a problem.

Black Belts are like business detectives; they are brought in to determine why a process is not working right or to its potential. In origin, they do not know what they will find. Eventually, they lead a team that identifies the defects, eliminates them, and creates a sustainable, better process.

Ultimately, employing individuals with both Six Sigma and project management certification may prove a great advantage for any organization. And for the individuals themselves, doing both certifications can help make them more qualified for high-level positions while working directly on setting and achieving strategic business goals.