Training Materials: 

No matter how you learn Six Sigma, some type of textbook or manual will be involved. The methodology is far too comprehensive to be handled with a handful of videos.  You will be reading the material one way or another.

Six Sigma training covers quite a bit of material (and at times rather complicated concepts). It will be necessary for you to be able to easily reference a specific topic when carrying out a project in the future.

That is why Six Sigma Certification exams that are closed book are less respected. Any Six Sigma professional who doesn’t use a reference book in the field is questionable.  So why should the testing standard be any different?

Keep in mind that Six Sigma is a “methodology”.  It is a process made up of steps.

Whenever you have a complicated process of “steps”, you should always utilize a reference manual.  That is why commercial airline pilots are REQUIRED to reference their checklist every time they fly.  It ensures that the process is under control (exactly what Six Sigma by definition strives for).

So the difference between the “Self-Study” and “Training Provider” approach boils down to the 2 features (above): “Tools & Templates” and “Instructor Guidance & Support).  Let’s take a look at them one by one.

Tools & Templates:

In our post-Google world, many tools and templates can easily be found on the internet for free.  This should not be something that affects your decision.

Many training providers will also include statistical software (trial or full version).  Some professionals prefer a more robust software such as Minitab.

Please keep in mind that this software can always be purchased at a later time independently (software manufacturers also typically have a trial version available on their websites).

Also keep in mind that in real-world work environments Microsoft Excel is still the most commonly used software.  Many Excel templates are freely available online.

Even for those that don’t own Excel, again Google is your friend.  There are numerous free alternatives to Excel.

It all boils down to “Guidance and Support”…

Based on what you have learned above you should now realize that it all boils down to “guidance and support”.  So this forces us to rephrase the question again:

“Does the guidance and support I will receive justify the extra costs?”

Now before we continue, it is important to point out one glaring fact.  If you choose to use the free self-study materials but feel like you need quite a bit of assistance along the way… you can reach out to a provider or mentor.

With that said, let’s face it, in today’s Google-age, most people are pretty self-reliant and resourceful when it comes to finding answers to their questions.

Okay back to our question, “Does the guidance and support I will receive justify the extra costs?”.  Please consider the following analogy…

Remember back when you were in school?  Teachers would always assign “reading assignments”  (typically a chapter in a textbook) for homework.  But what happened in the classroom the next day always varied based on the quality of your teacher.

Bad Teachers:

You read your chapter and came into class.  For the lecture, the teacher would then read the same chapter AGAIN out-loud (forcing you to endure it twice).  Worse yet, some teachers would make their students take turns reading it (so in the meanwhile they could focus on other tasks).

Key Takeaway: We try our best to not accredit these training providers to begin with, but you should still be on the lookout.  These are typically your lower cost training providers (their low cost means that they simply do not have the budget for professional guidance and support).  

Good Teachers:

The same as above, but this time they actually paused during the out-loud reading to help “clarify” any questions and to explain concepts in multiple ways to facilitate the learning process.

Now, if you were someone that CONSTANTLY had their hand raised to ask a question, using a training provider that offers instructor support might be worthwhile.

However, if you were the person that, for the most part, rarely had a question (or are comfortable using Google), then you would probably succeed just fine taking the self-study approach.

Key Takeaway:  If you are resourceful with Google, heavily consider Self-Study.  If you are someone who feels like they would need quite a bit of support along the way… then reaching out to a mentor or training provider might be worthwhile.  If you do choose to utilize an Accredited Training Provider, we recommend the following guide: Choosing a Provider Guide.

Great Teachers:

These are rare.  These are the teachers that worked with you one-on-one to help you apply what you learned in your day-to-day life.  In Six Sigma, they are EXPENSIVE.  Think about it…

This Six Sigma “teacher” would command a salary well above $100,000/yr.  If they are only working with you one-on-one, and you will need them for months.  In Six Sigma, it is EXTREMELY unlikely you will find this for a couple thousand dollars (or less).  But if price is of no concern, this would obviously be the most ideal way to learn six sigma.

Key Takeaway:  Unless you are willing to pay $15,000+ for dedicated private instruction, you will likely want to consider the other options above (or consider a combination of them).

In summary, the price really boils down to how much guidance and support you feel that you will need.  If you are not sure, start with the free self-study option and decide later.

*NOTE: Because Training Providers vary in the services they offer, we are simply generalizing above.   Some provider’s may/may-not offer the services listed.  If you do choose to utilize an Accredited Training Provider, we recommend the following guide: Choosing a Provider Guide.