What Is Six SIGMA Process Management?

Writing about Six Sigma pins authors on the horns of a dilemma: Should they get specific about this complex system's methods, steps, charts and graphs, and thus risk turning off their readers? Or should they gloss over the details, perhaps using general narratives or case studies instead, whetting readers' appetites but leaving them undernourished for information? Rowland Hayler and Michael Nichols opted for the former to present Six Sigma in compact form in this short book. The authors are interested not only in the fundamental issues of Six Sigma, but also in how to use this tactic to manage a company's ongoing processes. While hardly an introductory primer, this book manages a neat balancing act. getAbstract gives it a strong recommendation, particularly to those readers with some prior knowledge of Six Sigma.

Few books capture the process engineering approach taken by Motorola's wafer fabrication engineers in the mid-1980s. Process excellence lies at the heart of both Six Sigma and the Toyota Production System for the simple reason that Motorola learnt much from its joint venture with Hitachi and later on the Cherokee project with Toshiba. Why is a process perspective so important? Because everything is process and each process step depends on a previous process step? Unlike most other books on the subject, Hayler and Nichols correctly identify the importance of external and internal customers, the use of `enabling' value-added steps, and Kai-zen - making each step right. Whether or not someone uses the DMAIC improvement process, Six Sigma tools, the 3 Ms, Work-Out, or "bread and butter pudding" the goal is the same - to improve business performance. (Andy Urquhart, ex-Chairman Motorola Six Sigma Steering Committee Austin, Texas)

This is a great resource for discussing this important concept with audiences that are new to applying these ideas as well as people that have worked in this area before. Hayler and Nichols present the concepts in a clear manner adding stories and examples to make the ideas come to life for the reader. While the widely used Six Sigma is present in the title of the book, the ideas and applications are worthwhile for all companies, whether they are currently involved in a formal improvement effort or not. The book presents both tools and a system that will enable any business to better manage their processes. In my work with clients, the need for improvement projects is relatively easy to understand and implement. Most clients find it more difficult to get their arms around how to create a system to manage their processes and ensure they are using their resources against the right initiatives. This book is a great tool to use with these clients, helping them see and understand the benefits and tools to leverage their improvement efforts and improve the management of their business processes. I am using this book to help my clients now and it has helped to support their learning of these key concepts and tools.

What is Six Sigma Process Management addresses the basics of Process Management for the novice, as well as providing direction and details for the experienced practitioners. The Authors dispel some myths and tell some stories while laying out the path forward. The title is deceptive – this book is about Process Management – the system, the metrics, the management, the process – and is set in the context of the most widely recognized business performance improvement methodology, Six Sigma to give a point of reference. Process Management stands on its own, and is a natural component of any Customer and Process based management system, ISO, Lean, whatever you call it. As a consultant "in the trenches" with clients who desire to sustain, improve or totally re-invent their businesses, I find this book invaluable as a quick explanation of the system. I wish I’d written it.