Implementing Six SIGMA: Smarter Solutions Using Statistical Methods

Six sigma is faddish and overhyped. However the use of six sigma ideas along with many other useful statistical methods for development of high quality products has had a positive influence on many manufacturing systems in the US and elsewhere. This falls under the umbrella of Total Quality Management which is a system that encourage engineers to learn and impliment statistical quality control techniques, design of experiments, statistical process control and other things in the black belt training program. Six sigma is an important part of that. This book is a very thick and detailed text on the use of six sigma methods to produce very high quality systems. Although it is a long text, it cuts through the smokescreens and hype to get to heart of the matter. I recommend either edition as a great reference text and learning tool.

This book is my favorite Six Sigma reference and it should have a wide based appeal. Six Sigma novices who are looking for information on where to begin will appreciate the clear and precise information on what Six Sigma is and how it will help their organization. BB's and MBB's will appreciate it as a well organized, well written reference guide with a terrific road map for project management and program implementation. I have a huge collection of Six Sigma books; but once I got a copy of this book I stopped recommending any others to people who ask me... this is the only book I tell them to go buy. It's the only book I have that covers ALL aspects of becoming Six Sigma. A lot of books are happy to explain what the concept is or what the results of Six Sigma have generated for companies but this is the only one that gives you what you need to begin your own program. What I REALLY like is that it does not limit itself to strictly manufacturing environments. It has a really good treatment of service environments and other places where it might seem difficult to apply Six Sigma principles. If you only buy one book about Six Sigma you'd be crazy not to make this one your choice.

I first read this book when it was published (1999) and recently re-read it in combination with Managing Six Sigma which Breyfogle co-authored with Cupello and Meadows. At the outset, I should explain that my experience with the design, launch, and implementation of a Six Sigma program is limited. Usually I am retained to assist in non-technical areas such as internal and external communications. However, having read almost all of what Deming wrote as well as several other books about his work, and then having direct association with countless technicians involved in various stages of a Six Sigma program, I feel semi-qualified to discuss both of Breyfogle's books. In fact, he may well have written them for non-technicians such as I. They are VERY well-organized. Also, at no time throughout the reading of either book did my eyes glaze over because of charts, maps, statistics, jargon, etc. So I commend Breyfogle (as well as the co-authors of Managing Six Sigma) for creating about as much access as is reasonably possible to this immensely complicated and (yes) daunting, albeit intriguing subject.In the foreword, Frank Shines, Jr. suggests that Breyfogle's Smarter Six Sigma Solutions (let's call it S4) approach can effectively be applied in areas such as these: organizational strategy and vision, communications and education strategy, corporate culture and history, business economics and project prioritization, organizational and individual skills and competencies, and finally, the pace and degree at which the organization can assimilate change. Paul Tobias (in the Foreword) then suggests that "the key to business success is doing the right thing faster and better and more efficiently that your competition." For S4, the focus is always on the practical: "What are the right Goals and how do you go about achieving them?" Two excellent questions which suggest two others: "Are these still the right goals? How do we know?" Tobias provides an incomplete but nonetheless impressive list of what this book also provides: explanations of basic techniques such as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Quality Function Deployment (QFD), and process flowcharting as well as an abundance of powerful statistical techniques and concepts such as exploratory data analysis (graphical techniques), analysis of variance, and measurement capability analysis (gauge studies). Then in another Foreword, Bill Wiggenhorn briefly reviews the evolution of Six Sigma "story" from its origin at Motorola, suggesting that Breyfogle's S4 consolidates not only the traditional Six Sigma process measurements and improvement tools, but also many other useful methodologies into one easy to understand text. [As a hand puppet who appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on television years ago once said, "Easy for you...difficult for me."] The sections entitled "Smarter Six Sigma Solutions Assessments", at the end of many chapters, offer additional insight into the selection of the best approac

Statistical tools and methodologies used by Six Sigma are not new but generally have been reserved for Quality and Engineering functions. My training and experience with Six Sigma crossed paths with employees across all departments - Buyers, Supervisors, floor employees, Human Resources, Finance, as well as Quality and Engineering personnel. What makes "Implementing Six Sigma" significant is you do not have to be an expert in statistics or even in the Quality field to understand and implement the tools of Six Sigma. Forrest details and further defines the tools in an easy to read format, plenty of exercises and examples, and a thorough appendix. I didn't discover this book until recently and have since replaced over a dozen reference books. Depending on the problem at hand, tool usage varies and not all are applicable (to one's project) or taught in training. I had excellent Black Belt instructors but Forrest's book would have come in handy during my training and would have been an invaluable resource when facilitating Green Belt training. Recommended for those new, and not so new, to Six Sigma.

I am with the General Electric Company. We at GE have made Six Sigma part of our culture and a way of doing business. I am GE Six Sigma Black Belt Trained, Green Belt certified and am adjunct assistant professor of mathematics at Quinnipiac College (Hamden, CT) teaching probability & statistics. I have found the book "Implementing Six Sigma: Smarter Solutions Using Statistical Methods" to be the best collection in one place that I have ever seen on Six Sigma since my involvement with it over the past four years. It is easy to read/understand, etc., and I recommend businesses, individuals, statistician, college professors, professional groups, etc., get a copy of the book. Also, if you are already a six sigma company or thinking about becoming one and/or any MB, BB, GB, etc., I recommend that you get a copy of this book. It is a winner! winner!