[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen working towards a Six Sigma Yellow Belt, there are several vital components one needs to master before they can move on to the next stage of their course.

The first few components are quality basics: learning to define quality and understanding the process to identify the root cause. The next step is to know about data collection and the design of experiments.

These components will prepare you for the Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification exam.

What is the Yellow Belt Certification?

Even though certifications are at every level, a common misconception is that anyone with knowledge can become a Black Belt. This is not true because a fundamental understanding of the different tools used by project teams is essential. The Yellow Belt Certification focuses on the basic statistical concepts needed to move onto the business management skills that are later required for Black Belt certification.

The level of knowledge you need before attempting your Yellow Belt exam are summarized below:

Operational Definitions: You should explain them and use them in your day-to-day work.

Basic Statistical Concepts: The concepts you should understand are the z score, the mean, and the standard deviation.

Data Collection: You need to know how to collect data and present it more accessible for an audience to understand. Other than this, you can expect questions on sampling, control charts, and histograms.

Design of Experiments: You should have a good understanding of these concepts before attempting the exam.

Project Management Skills: The questions will be based on how to use tools that are used in project management to plan, schedule, and track your projects. For example, Pareto charts are one of the tools used during this phase.

If you are able to answer all the questions correctly, you will pass your certification. You can expect 80% of the questions to be situational and 20% conceptual. The exam is available in English only and takes 60 minutes to complete with a passing score of 65%.

How to Choose the Right Yellow Belt Certification?

There are several Yellow Belt certification providers, and choosing between them can be a little overwhelming. So look at the following factors to make the right choice:

Certification Name Recognition

Make sure you choose a certification that has recognition with your clients. For example, the CFR 21 Part 11 is vital if you are in the pharmaceutical industry. It is also essential to choose a certification that conforms to the Six Sigma training you have undertaken.

Rely on Experts

The best way to ensure the quality factor is by choosing a certification from an organization with experience in providing consulting services and not from an information technology company. The exam provider should be providing their own Yellow Belt certification rather than designing exams for other companies.

Quality Assurance

Ensure that your certification provider has stringent procedures to ensure the quality and accuracy of the exam. For example, ISO 17024 is an internationally recognized standard for certifying bodies providing examinations.

Other than this, you should ensure that you can renew your Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification without having to take another exam. You should also ensure that the exam is available online.

Time Taken to Get Certified

Ensure that you take a quality certification not to take longer than 30 days to process your application. There should also be an option to schedule the exam at convenient times to receive instant results.

In terms of duration, there is no fixed time frame you have to complete your Yellow Belt certification as long as you pass the exam.

It will largely depend on how much consulting work you can complete between exams and the number of questions you get correct during your first attempt at the exam.

Price

Costs vary between providers, so consider your budget carefully. The cost of training and materials will be an added expense on top of the certification exam fees.

One of the great ways to get a Yellow Belt Certification is joining a Six Sigma Training Company. They will train you, provide exam preparation materials, and access an online testing center. The price depends on the course duration and the number of practice questions you require to pass your certification exam.

Instructors/Consultants

An experienced consultant will guide you on the different questions that could come up in the exam, but they will also have experience in training to help you understand concepts better. An instructor should have at least five years of consulting experience. While this might vary depending on your individual needs, it is essential to consider this factor before signing up for any Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification.

With so many Yellow Belt Certification providers to choose from, it can be a little intimidating.