Customer Reviews

The New Six Sigma: A Leader's Guide to Achieving Rapid Business Improvement and Sustainable Results

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a very informative book that can be read in a about one to two hours. It isn't as in-depth as I thought it would be but it certainly provides some updated and interesting information on Six Sigma. My advice for people who may buy this book is to purchase this book along with 'Leading Six Sigma', 'Lean Six Sigma', and if you are new to Six Sigma, 'Sailing Through Six Sigma with CD' for an overall appreciation of Six Sigma. This is not a book that discusses the DMAIC model or the actual statisitics involved in Six Sigma in any great length so if that is what you're looking for you need to look elsewhere. However, if you're looking for some of the most up to date information on Six Sigma this book is well worth the price.

Motorola invented Six Sigma. This concise handbook promises to introduce readers to the history of Six Sigma, to explain Six Sigma's leadership requirements and to point the way for Six Sigma practitioners to go forward. It delivers admirably on these promises. Many Six Sigma books offer dense diagrams and mind-numbing descriptions of all of the minutiae that goes into the process improvement program. This book provides a broader perspective. It necessarily sacrifices much of the operational detail in order to present a good general introduction to the subject. This is not the book for managers who need a field-guide or an instruction manual to forge ahead with implementing a Six Sigma program. But for those who have heard of Six Sigma, wonder what it is about and want a good, basic, elementary explanation, we believe this book will serve nicely.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought McCarty did an outstanding job of presenting a business case for six sigma with a clear, straightforward discussion of how and why businesses should implement it. Barney's detailed explanation of the statistical nitty-gritty of six sigma provided an excellent follow-up to McCarty's piece. Barney's level of detail was just right for the book - enough to show the reader the "meat" of six sigma statistical foundations without the weighty specifics.

I read this book this morning over coffee. It's a quick read, but unfortunately I cannot say that it's worth anyone's time. The title makes it seem like it's appropriate for Six Sigma leaders, when in fact it's not. It's about half history and about half the "future of Six Sigma."

Let's start with the history. No where do the authors mention the Six Sigma Research Institute or Six Sigma Management Institute. Dr. Harry nor many of the key individuals associated with the program (Mario Perez-Wilson, the key individuals from any of the five companies that contributed to Six Sigma, etc.). If half of the purpose was to document the true history, it failed miserably. It appears revisionist to me since it leaves out so much of the history. There are other sources on the web that I've read that are better.

Regarding the "future of Six Sigma," it's ok. It throws out a bunch of different vague ideas that you (the leader) will need to figure out how to do. Most of the "future" ideas are in fact being used today by many, many companies. For instance, using a balanced scorecard idea with Six Sigma -- hello...many, many companies have been doing this for 5 years already. There were some other ideas concerning Black Belts, but they're not even worth mentioning.

All in all, it was a quick read but provided little benefit. I wish the authors would have applied a Six Sigma process to their topic selection and research for the book.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought McCarty did an outstanding job of presenting a business case for six sigma with a clear, straightforward discussion of how and why businesses should implement it. Barney's detailed explanation of the statistical nitty-gritty of six sigma provided an excellent follow-up to McCarty's piece. Barney's level of detail was just right for the book - enough to show the reader the "meat" of six sigma statistical foundations without the weighty specifics.

I