IQF Certification

International Quality Federation (IQF) is an all-volunteer organization of quality practitioners and subject matter experts that saw the need for standardization in the Six Sigma field. They have administered several hundred exams thus far, 80- 90% employer monitored and endorsed. Employers using the exam include Boeing, Visteon, and others.

Other organization offering similar Six Sigma certification services is American Society of Quality (ASQ). The comparison of IQF and ASQ certification schemes is given below for your information.

COMPARISON OF IQF AND ASQ CERTIFICATION SCHEMES
 ASQIQF
ScopeBlack BletGreen Belt, Black Belt and Master Black Belt
Exam FormatTheory onlyMultiple Choice questionsFundamentals as well as Applications. Tests both knowledge and skills.
Soft SkillsNot ApplicableAssessment system is part of certification
Exam ScheduleFixed time (2 times/year)Computerized, Flexible, any time exam
SponsorNot availableCorporate Sponsoring available
FeesUSD 250 per IndividualUSD 199 per Individual
 


IQF SIX SIGMA CERTIFICATION

The IQF certification exam is nothing like traditional certification exams. Instead, it is a rigorous, computer-based test of Black Belts ability to use modern methods to improve business operations. The exam consists of 2 modules:
  1. Fundamentals - short questions & problems designed to test the basic understanding of Six Sigma tools & concepts.
  2. Applications - detailed problems designed to test Six Sigma problem solving ability.
Each of these modules must be completed in 4 hours. The exam is open book, and any computer software may be used. After completing the exam, the exam software generates a code and using the code one can retrieve the score from the internet.

EXAM

The IQF Six Sigma Exam is computer based, which offers two advantages: the exam may be taken at your leisure (rather than at pre-determined times and locations), and it encourages the use of analytical software in developing your response. In this way, the testing is a bit more realistic than multiple choice exams.

View IQF Green Belt Certificate (Sample).

EXAM FORMAT

The exam consists of 2 sections; a Fundamentals section and an Applications section. The examinee is given 4 hours to complete each section of the exam. Green Belt are required to take only Fundamentals section. The Fundamentals section is designed to test the examinee's understanding of basic statistical methods and consists of the following types of questions:

Question TypeNumber Of Questions
Six Sigma Process5
Discrete Distributionss3
Continuous Distributions3
Statistical Inference3
Measurement Assurance3
SPC3
Process Capabilities3
Regression3
One-Way ANOVA2
Multi-Factor ANOVA2


Green Belts scoring minimum 50% fundamentals are successful and certificate is awarded.
Black Belts scoring minimum 60% fundamentals & 50% application are succesful and certificate is awarded.

MST Consulting is Authorized to Administer and Issue IQF Certification in the Philippines.