ASQ Greater Fort Worth

Professional Development Meeting

Tips to
Certification
Arun Kumar, Six Sigma Black Belt
CQE, CRE, CQA, CSSBB, CQM, CQIA & CSSGB
Bell Helicopter Textron
4-3-08
 Purpose and Outcomes

• Provide you the “Basics and Benefits

of ASQ Certification”.
• Help you gain understanding of what
Certified Quality x, y, z is and why
should you pursue.
• Clarify the next steps on Preparation
process.
• Answer questions you may have
regarding the certification.
 Key Benefits of Certification
to Members
• Gain new skills and upgrade proficiency
• Source of professional and personal pride
• Investment in career
• Mark of technical excellence
• Currency with emerging technologies
• Knowledgeable employees that are able to
assure product/service quality
• Investment in the company’s future
• Perfect and share new techniques in the
workplace
• Discriminator in the marketplace
 When should I take the exam?

• Answer most people give is:

–Later, rather than sooner
• Recommended: start preparing 9
months prior to exam date.

Why?
DO NOT SIT THROUGH EXAM
MORE THAN ONCE!!!
 How do I start preparing?

• Sort the list of topics in the BoK by your

level of knowledge about the topic.
• Select topics for in-depth review.
• Develop a review schedule.
 Should I take a review course?

• Do I find it difficult to plan and organize

complex projects?.
• Will I be able to stick to my review plan
if I do not have a course instructor
assigning problems?.
• Can I afford it - $300 to $2500?
• How do I find a good course?
• Should I take practice exam
 How many books should I take
to exam?

• ASQ Exams are open book.

• Balance the number of books.
• No correlation exist on more the
number of books vs. passing the
certification exam.
 What should I do the week
before exam?

• Make sure to find the exam site.

• Fill the gas tank before exam date.
• Obtain enough cash to pay for parking
and snacks.
• Pack your reference books, pencil,
eraser, watch, calculator and extra
batteries.
 How do I get ready on the
day of exam?
• Set your alarm enough time to get to the exam
without worry.
• Psych yourself up – Be confident.
• Eat something light to give you energy and prevent
empty stomach.
• Glance over your notes.
• Drive to exam site.
• Avoid conversation about subject material – They
could throw you offbalance.
• Get to the exam early enough to get good seat and
make sure clock is in view, lighting ok and distracting
friends are not sitting near you. Relax.
• Manage your exam anxiety.
Pre-Approval Certification Matrix
Certification Row
Type MGR SSBB CQE CQA CSQE CRE BIO CHA CCT CQT SSGB CQPA CQIA CQI Total
Mgr X X X X X X X X X X X X 12
SSBB 0
CQE X X X X X X X X X X X 11
CQA X X X X X X X X X X X 11
CSQE X X X X X X X X X X X 11
CRE X X X X X X X X X X X 11
BIO X X X X X X X 7
CHA X X X X X X X 7
CCT X X X X X X X 7
CQT X X X X 4
SSGB X X X 3
CQPA X X 2
CQIA X X 2
CQI X X 2

ASQ Certification Exam Employment Requirement

CMQ/OE 10 Yrs
SSBB 2 Proj or 1 Proj w/3 yrs work exp
CQE/CQA/ CSQE/CRE 8 Yrs
BIO/CHA/CCT 5 Yrs
CQT 4 Yrs
SSGB 3 Yrs
CQPA/CQIA /CQI 2 Yrs
Cognitive Levels from ASQ's BOK

Knowledge Level
(Also commonly referred to as recognition, recall, or rote knowledge.) Being able to remember
or recognize terminology, definitions, facts, ideas, materials, patterns, sequences,
methodologies, principles, etc.
Comprehension Level
Being able to read and understand descriptions, communications, reports, tables, diagrams,
directions, regulations, etc.
Application Level
Being able to apply ideas, procedures, methods, formulas, principles, theories, etc., in job-
related situations.
Analysis
Being able to break down information into its constituent parts and recognize the parts’
relationship to one another and how they are organized; identify sublevel factors or salient data
from a complex scenario.
Synthesis
Being able to put parts or elements together in such a way as to show a pattern or structure not
clearly there before; identify which data or information from a complex set is appropriate to
examine further or from which supported conclusions can be drawn.
Evaluation
Being able to make judgments regarding the value of proposed ideas, solutions, methodologies,
etc., by using appropriate criteria or standards to estimate accuracy, effectiveness, economic
benefits, etc.
What are some test-taking tips?

• Read all of the questions on the first page of the test so you realize
that you do know the material. In other words, relax.
• Read each question thoroughly. Don't assume you know what's
being asked.
• Eliminate implausible answers and move quickly past the obviously
wrong choices.
• Keep in mind that an answer may be a correct statement in itself
but may not answer the question. Two answers may say exactly the
opposite things or may be very similar. Read them again to decide
what makes one correct and the other wrong.
• ASQ does not subtract points for incorrect answers. Answer every
question. There is no penalty for guessing, and you have a 25%
chance of getting it right.
• Go through and answer the questions you know. Then go through
and read the ones you're unsure of. Mark those you're still
uncomfortable with. You will narrow the field down to just a few
questions you will need to spend more time on. These are the
questions you might want to use your reference books for.
• Be aware of the time available for the exam and the remaining time
as you work through the exam.
http://www.asq.org/certification/faq/test-taking-tips.html
CQE Exam Timing Reality Check!!
During the Exam
1 a b c d 33 a b c d 65 a b c d 97 a b c d 129 a b c d
2 a b c d 34 a b c d 66 a b c d 98 a b c d 130 a b c d
3 a b c d 35 a b c d 67 a b c d 99 a b c d 131 a b c d
4 a b c d 36 a b c d 68 a b c d 100 a b c d 132 a b c d
5 a b c d 37 a b c d 69 a b c d 101 a b c d 133 a b c d
6 a b c d 38 a b c d 70 a b c d 102 a b c d 134 a b c d
7 a b c d 39 a b c d 71 a b c d 103 a b c d 135 a b c d
8 a b c d 40 a b c d 72 a b c d 104 a b c d 136 a b c d
9 a b c d 41 a b c d 73 a b c d 105 a b c d 137 a b c d
10 a b c d 42 a b c d 74 a b c d 106 a b c d 138 a b c d
11 a b c d 43 a b c d 75 a b c d 107 a b c d 139 a b c d
12 a b c d 44 a b c d 76 a b c d 108 a b c d 140 a b c d
13 a b c d 45 a b c d 77 a b c d 109 a b c d 141 a b c d
14 a b c d 46 a b c d 78 a b c d 110 a b c d 142 a b c d
15 a b c d 47 a b c d 79 a b c d 111 a b c d 143 a b c d
16 a b c d 48 a b c d 80 a b c d 112 a b c d 144 a b c d
17 a b c d 49 a b c d 81 a b c d 113 a b c d 145 a b c d
18 a b c d 50 a b c d 82 a b c d 114 a b c d 146 a b c d
19 a b c d 51 a b c d 83 a b c d 115 a b c d 147 a b c d
20 a b c d 52 a b c d 84 a b c d 116 a b c d 148 a b c d
21 a b c d 53 a b c d 85 a b c d 117 a b c d 149 a b c d
22 a b c d 54 a b c d 86 a b c d 118 a b c d 150 a b c d
23 a b c d 55 a b c d 87 a b c d 119 a b c d 151 a b c d
24 a b c d 56 a b c d 88 a b c d 120 a b c d 152 a b c d
25 a b c d 57 a b c d 89 a b c d 121 a b c d 153 a b c d
26 a b c d 58 a b c d 90 a b c d 122 a b c d 154 a b c d
27 a b c d 59 a b c d 91 a b c d 123 a b c d 155 a b c d
28 a b c d 60 a b c d 92 a b c d 124 a b c d 156 a b c d
29 a b c d 61 a b c d 93 a b c d 125 a b c d 157 a b c d
30 a b c d 62 a b c d 94 a b c d 126 a b c d 158 a b c d
31 a b c d 63 a b c d 95 a b c d 127 a b c d 159 a b c d
32 a b c d 64 a b c d 96 a b c d 128 a b c d 160 a b c d
1 hour 2 hours 3 hours 4 hours 5 hours
9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 AM 1:00 PM
 Common Questions from Exam
Attendees

• How do I decide which certification is

right for me?
• How do I apply for an examination?
• How should I prepare for an
examination?
–Study groups – Knowledge sharing, etc
–Study plans – Determine personal time
available vs. Needed for a topic (balance)
–Other resources – www.asq.org
 How is Cut Score determined?

• Passing grade or cut point is

established through cut-score stud
–Modified Angoff
• Cut Point – For each BOK
–Panel of 12-15 Judges created.
–Performance standard for exam
–Create criteria for “Borderline” or
minimum passing grade in relation to BoK
–Create a scaled score 550
 Why are scaled scores used
instead of raw scores?

• Not based on
number of correct
answers nor
percentage, it is
conversion.
• Scaled scores
provide consistency
– reflects your
performance based
on difficulty level of
the exam.
• Range: 200 to 750
 Frequently Asked Questions

• General
• Certification Requirements
• Preparing for the Exam
• Applying for the Exam
• Taking the Exam
• Exam Results
• Recertification
http://www.asq.org/certification/faq/
http://www.asq.org/pdf/certification/certification-handbook.pdf
Overall, Roadmap to ASQ Cert

• Planning and
preparation are keys to
passing a certification
exam.
• Establish good study
habits
• Relax during the exam
• Be confident during the
exam until end
• Look for Big Envelope in
mail
 Call ASQ
(800)-248-1946
or
Visit us at:
www.asq.org

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