Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Although these may be common questions, the answers are not so common.  

About the StatStuff Content

Is the StatStuff content the same as what's offered from other training organizations?
Yes, many of the tools and concepts are the same from other universities and organizations that offer Lean and Six Sigma training.  But more than that, StatStuff includes many original tools and concepts that Matt Hansen developed for improving processes.

What do other training organizations have that StatStuff doesn't have?
Other than huge training fees, an obvious advantage of the traditional classroom training is interactive collaboration.  Despite that, the advantages of StatStuff are that you can jump directly to the video on the tool or concept you need at any time you need it. To learn more about this, check out this article that explains the many advantages of StatStuff.

Use of StatStuff Content

Why is StatStuff free?
The tools and concepts of Lean and Six Sigma are not rocket science so why should training cost so much as if it were?  In fact, Lean and Six Sigma are merely methods and tools built on common sense, which should be offered for free.

Can StatStuff videos be copied and used outside of StatStuff?
No.  All the materials on StatStuff are copyrighted and require express permission (through separate purchase or licensing) to use outside of StatStuff.  The website is already free, so naturally the costs are absorbed through advertising, so please don't take advantage of this freedom offered to you.

Can I get a copy of the slides used in the training videos?
The slides from all the videos can be streamed online by clicking the "View Slides" link in the detailed info listed under each video.  This access requires registration as a user of StatStuff.  To become a user, click on the "Register" link at the top of each page.  Aside from that, the video slides are not available for digital, offline access.  However, the content from the video slides are all included in the book "Lean Six Sigma the StatStuff Way" that can be purchased from StatStuff.  All video content (including slides, scripts, images, examples, tools, etc.) are copyrighted and proprietary to StatStuff.  

Can I use StatStuff resources for Lean and Six Sigma training at my organization?
Absolutely, but only in two possible ways: 1) the StatStuff site must be used and referenced as the source for hosting the videos (i.e., this method is free and open to the public through StatStuff anyway, but you can't copy or modify the videos and host them separately such as through YouTube, Vimeo, etc.), or 2) you purchased licensing through StatStuff to allow for self-hosting that is not open to the public.

What do I get for licensing the use of StatStuff videos at my organization?
You get the permission to host the videos without any of the advertising. This permission is restricted to the number of licenses purchased by the organization. 

How does the licensing work and how much does it cost?
The licensing option varies depending on how many people will be accessing the content.  The licensing rate starts at $750/yr per group of 20 users.  The more users you have, then the rate per group drops as low as $450/yr per group (when there are 250+ groups which is 5000+ users).  What influences the pricing is the # of people accessing the content; below are three general examples of that:

• Acquire DVDs of the training for you to control and only display during physical or online class sessions.
• Host the training on a private website (e.g., a company intranet site) that has restricted access to the users.
• Host the training on a public website (e.g., your company or personal internet site) that is accessible by the general public.

But there actually is no cost or need for licensing if you just want to reference the videos from the StatStuff.com website directly. Anyone can access them for free and there is no membership or licensing required for that. So if cost is a concern and you don't mind telling your folks to go to the StatStuff.com website to watch the videos, then that would be the easiest and most affordable option (no need for permission either).  If it helps, here's an article explaining how StatStuff's training content can be blended with classroom training to help the class be more efficient and effective. For more specific questions or details about these options, please contact us.

Certification

Below are some answers to common questions about certification. For more details, check out this article that provides straight answers about LSS certifications.

Does StatStuff offer any Lean or Six Sigma certification?
No, not at this time. The tools and concepts taught through StatStuff are enough for someone to pass a Green or Black Belt certification test through any organization that offers it. But StatStuff is not one of those organizations that offers certification at this time.

Where should I go to get certified?
Sorry, we will gladly inform users about other organizations offering training and certifications, but we do not specifically endorse any particular organization offering certifications. Despite this, if you do pursue certification, ensure you're working with an organization that has a strong reputation of certifying folks who deserve it. That is, if you know other people certified through a particular organization and those people don't have strong Lean or Six Sigma skills, then do NOT pursue your certification through that organization.

How does certification work?
Unlike each state that certifies public accountants or PMI who grants PMP certifications, there is no single governing body for certifying Lean or Six Sigma expertise. That's good because it allows for much flexibility in the certifying requirements from each organization, but it's bad because some organizations have less stringent requirements and therefore certify folks who don't deserve it. Despite this, the typical certifying requirements include taking a test and demonstrating application of the tools through one or two projects. Most certifying organizations require folks to attend their formal training. If you don't need the training or want to only rely on StatStuff's free training, then be sure to pursue the certification through an organization that doesn't require it.

Is there value in getting certified?
Yes and no. Yes, certification looks great on a resume and can certainly help someone's career. But only (this is where the "no" comes in) if the person is truly deserving of the certification. There are a lot of people who are certified, but very few who really know and can effectively apply the Lean and Six Sigma tools. Certification should only be a part of the journey and not the destination. That is, the end goal should be to learn how to use and apply the Lean and Six Sigma tools to improve the business processes; certification should merely validate a person's capability to meet that goal.

Which certification should I pursue?
The most common certifications are the Green Belt and Black Belt, followed by the less common Yellow Belt and Master Black Belt. Any other colored belt (like White, Blue, Gold, Business, Money, etc.) is relatively new and not commonly recognized across most industries nor in the Lean Six Sigma community. That's not to imply the training for those other colored belts are not helpful, but adding those certifications to a resume is not as well known or understood. In addition, there is no formal Lean certification (like those for Six Sigma) apart from the ones that certain organizations create on their own. Again, it's not that someone with a Lean certification doesn't have strong Lean skills, it's just that it's not as widely known or understood in the field.