What is Lean Six Sigma [Paperback]

Michael L. George (Author), David Rowlands (Author), Bill Kastle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2003 | ISBN-10: 007142668X | ISBN-13: 978-0071426688 | Edition: 1

A quick introduction on how to use Lean Six Sigma to improve your workplace, meet your goals, and better serve your customers.

Lean Six Sigma combines the two most important improvement trends of our time: making work better (using Six Sigma) and making work faster (using Lean principles). In this plain-English guide, you’ll discover how this remarkable quality improvement method can give you the tools to identify and eliminate waste and quality problems in your own work area.

Packed with diagrams, cartoons, and real-life examples, What is Lean Six Sigma? reveals the “four keys” of Lean Six Sigma and how they apply to your own job:

• Delight your customers with speed and quality
• Improve your processes
• Work together for maximum gain
• Base decisions on data and facts

You’ll see the big picture of what your company hopes to gain with Lean Six Sigma, how it may affect your work area, and what it can mean to you personally.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A basic primer for all employees on using Lean Six Sigma to meet your company's goals and your customers' needs

Lean Six Sigma combines the two most important and popular quality trends of our time: Six Sigma and Lean Production. In this plain-English guide, you'll discover how this remarkable quality improvement method will help you identify and eliminate waste, cut costs and grow revenue, enhance your job skills, and even make work more meaningful.

What is Lean Six Sigma? reveals why companies are implementing this strategy, and walks you through the foundations of Lean Six Sigma, explaining the "four keys" and how they apply to your own job:

• Delight your customers with speed and quality
• Improve your processes
• Work together for maximum gain
• Base decisions on data and facts

Featuring charts, diagrams, and case studies of teams who have used these methods to improve their workplace, What is Lean Six Sigma? tells you what you need to know to make this strategy a success in your organization.

About the Author

Michael L. George is the founder and CEO of George Group, the largest Lean Six Sigma consulting practice in the United States. He is the author of Lean Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma for Service.

David Rowlands is Vice President of Lean Six Sigma at Xerox Corporation. He's been using Lean and Six Sigma since 1988, and has practical experience working with teams to solve improvement challenges in sales, service, and manufacturing.

Bill Kastle is a Vice President at George Group and has helped guide Lean Six Sigma initiatives at major corporations. For 15 years, he has helped teams at all levels apply these tools to improve performance and respond to customer needs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (October 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007142668X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071426688
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Industrial Relations
  • #8 in Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Total Quality Management
  • #12 in Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Quality Control

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Introduction, January 31, 2005

By 

William McPeck "Coach/Consultant" (Maine) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: What is Lean Six Sigma (Paperback)

According to the back cover, this book is "a quick introduction to using Lean Six Sigma." Since you are looking at an introductory book, you are probably not familiar with Lean Six Sigma. The back cover again states, "Lean Six Sigma combines the two most important improvement trends of our time: making work better (using Six Sigma) and making work faster (using Lean Principles)." I believe this book accomplishes its stated goal. It's 92 pages of quick reading introduce the reader to the Lean Six Sigma improvement process through definitions, explanations and examples.

The book is divided into two parts: Foundations of Lean Six Sigma and Implementing Lean Six Sigma. The foundation section covers the four keys to Lean Six Sigma and the five laws of Lean Six Sigma. The implementation section covers how to get started, introduces the reader to tools in the Lean Six Sigma toolkit, gives a public sector example of where Lean Six Sigma was used to make improvements and what management needs to do to support a successful Lean Six Sigma effort.

A reference book on Lean Six Sigma this book is not. If you are already familiar with Lean Six Sigma, then look elsewhere for more information. If you would like an introduction to Lean Six Sigma that is both understandable and easy to read, I highly recommend this book. Having read the book, I now feel better prepared to read additional Lean Six Sigma books that will take my knowledge and understanding to greater depths.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!, November 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: What is Lean Six Sigma (Paperback)

The authors did a great job on the book. I read it on an airplane earlier this week and really enjoyed it. It is very well written - very understandable at a novice level and insightful at the "supposed expert" level. I think it is
a "must read" for everyone in an organization deploying Lean Six Sigma or anybody interested in improving the economic value of their business.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Packed with Knowledge !, March 18, 2005

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: What is Lean Six Sigma (Paperback)

Six Sigma books often couch their wisdom in acronyms or jargon, or they offer vague, unfulfilling anecdotal narratives. This book is different. As trim, focused and efficient as if a Six Sigma team had designed it, it gets the job done. Its mission is simple: explain the basic structure of Lean Six Sigma initiatives to readers who are likely to become involved in one. While select case studies are judiciously sprinkled throughout, this is a meat-and-potatoes book that tells you what you need to know in clear, straightforward prose. Although the authors - Mike George, Dave Rowlands and Bill Kastle - humbly issue the caveat that this is not intended to be a comprehensive reference, its terse yet relevant style will probably make it one of those dog-eared volumes that barely gets back to the HR bookshelf before it's checked out again. Because of its plainspoken functionality, we recommend this manual strongly to anyone whose future may involve Lean Six Sigma.