Comments on: Six Sigma And Small Business http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/ Fri, 31 Dec 2010 03:00:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: TryToHaveFun http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-1428 TryToHaveFun Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:03:42 +0000 http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/#comment-1428 TTH- OK, managed to find this question. The website that tells you about the requirements to get PMP Certified is www.pmi.org Its really not that expensive to get certified- it was less than $500 if I remember right (it was a couple of years ago that I got mine). It only gets expensive if you take a training class for the test- which I admit, I did take, and that cost more like $1600. Luckily for me, my employer covered the cost, it doesnt sound like you are that fortunate. Anyway, to meet the PM requirements, you dont necessarily have to have been the PM for an overall project. You mention running an IT consulting business- I would suspect if you look back at your experience there, you are very likely to find the PM hours you need. Did you manage Developers through a development process? Even if you didnt have a formal methodology that you used- that counts as PM time. Did you perhaps manage (even just your own work) for an integration project or something like that? Again- those hours count. Just take all those one-offs where you managed pieces of projects, even if it was just informally, and see if you can add them up. If it doesnt come up to enough, there are two other alternatives. The first is to go for the CAPM before the PMP. The requriements are quite a bit less for the CAPM, and the test to get that cert is a lot easier. Its not as widely recognized as the PMP, but it does essentially tell companies that you are an entry-level PM. The second alternative is that they recently started up a Program Manager certification through PMI as well. If you cant find the hours for the PMP, I would again suspect that your experience in owning a consulting business might qualify you to take the Program Management certification. It takes a good bit of time to properly fill out the application, as you really have to think back to all the little bits of work you've done in past years, and say "well, it was only a week's worth of work, but I was managing a small piece of a project during those 40 hours, so it should count", and then documenting those hours. Its amazing the doors that having your PMP will open. It doesnt have to be limited to technology (IT), there are plenty of other non-IT jobs that need PMP's as well. You can go pretty much anywhere you want with it. TTH- OK, managed to find this question. The website that tells you about the requirements to get PMP Certified is http://www.pmi.org
Its really not that expensive to get certified- it was less than $500 if I remember right (it was a couple of years ago that I got mine). It only gets expensive if you take a training class for the test- which I admit, I did take, and that cost more like $1600. Luckily for me, my employer covered the cost, it doesnt sound like you are that fortunate.
Anyway, to meet the PM requirements, you dont necessarily have to have been the PM for an overall project. You mention running an IT consulting business- I would suspect if you look back at your experience there, you are very likely to find the PM hours you need. Did you manage Developers through a development process? Even if you didnt have a formal methodology that you used- that counts as PM time. Did you perhaps manage (even just your own work) for an integration project or something like that? Again- those hours count. Just take all those one-offs where you managed pieces of projects, even if it was just informally, and see if you can add them up.
If it doesnt come up to enough, there are two other alternatives. The first is to go for the CAPM before the PMP. The requriements are quite a bit less for the CAPM, and the test to get that cert is a lot easier. Its not as widely recognized as the PMP, but it does essentially tell companies that you are an entry-level PM. The second alternative is that they recently started up a Program Manager certification through PMI as well. If you cant find the hours for the PMP, I would again suspect that your experience in owning a consulting business might qualify you to take the Program Management certification.
It takes a good bit of time to properly fill out the application, as you really have to think back to all the little bits of work you've done in past years, and say "well, it was only a week's worth of work, but I was managing a small piece of a project during those 40 hours, so it should count", and then documenting those hours.
Its amazing the doors that having your PMP will open. It doesnt have to be limited to technology (IT), there are plenty of other non-IT jobs that need PMP's as well. You can go pretty much anywhere you want with it.

]]> By: dolphin314etc http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-1429 dolphin314etc Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:19:46 +0000 http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/#comment-1429 Yup, the stimulus money went to paying off Democrat contributors, and to further the Obama agendas. To really stimulate the economy, a strong suggestion was put forth where state and federal taxes would be suspended for 6 months to a year (cheaper than the plan initiated). This would give tax payers a 25 to 35 percent income increase, and that would certainly increase spending and investments. But of course the Democrats wouldn't hear of such a plan. That would put control in the American public, and not in the Democrat Party. And since the stimulus wasn't really to help the economy anyway, it was never even discussed. Yup, the stimulus money went to paying off Democrat contributors, and to further the Obama agendas. To really stimulate the economy, a strong suggestion was put forth where state and federal taxes would be suspended for 6 months to a year (cheaper than the plan initiated). This would give tax payers a 25 to 35 percent income increase, and that would certainly increase spending and investments. But of course the Democrats wouldn't hear of such a plan. That would put control in the American public, and not in the Democrat Party. And since the stimulus wasn't really to help the economy anyway, it was never even discussed.

]]> By: asterick3 http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-1425 asterick3 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:29:14 +0000 http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/#comment-1425 This is excellent presentation for executive MBA students. I really enjoyed this video This is excellent presentation for executive MBA students. I really enjoyed this video

]]> By: dharma http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-1426 dharma Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:29:48 +0000 http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/#comment-1426 When you are creating new processes, you use the DMADV method (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, verify), instead of the typical DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control). There are a number of books for both Six Sigma and DFSS (Design For Six Sigma) which should get you on your way. I like the author Pyzdek, but there are a ton of books and authors out there- search Amazon or go to your local bookstore. When you are creating new processes, you use the DMADV method (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, verify), instead of the typical DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control). There are a number of books for both Six Sigma and DFSS (Design For Six Sigma) which should get you on your way.

I like the author Pyzdek, but there are a ton of books and authors out there- search Amazon or go to your local bookstore.

]]> By: cabal260431 http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-1427 cabal260431 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:25:38 +0000 http://www.spotfreetechnology.com/six-sigma-and-small-business/#comment-1427 Yes, it can be easily applied to the service industry. It is all about process improvements. In my Black Belt classes, over half of our case studies involved transactional processes. I am not a big believer in 'Lean'... The DMADDD model to me is a better way to go if you want to decrease cycle times. Of course, a lot of it is just differences in terminology. Yes, it can be easily applied to the service industry. It is all about process improvements. In my Black Belt classes, over half of our case studies involved transactional processes.

I am not a big believer in 'Lean'… The DMADDD model to me is a better way to go if you want to decrease cycle times. Of course, a lot of it is just differences in terminology.

]]>