Power of Six Sigma

Rating:
Summary: Buy several copies and spread it around
Review: This book is actually a story. As I noted in my review of "The Goal," I am not a big fan of works of "business fiction." I find most irritating.

However, this book does an excellent job of rapidly demystifying and acquainting the reader to the Six Sigma framework. Many people are at first overwhelmed by the whole idea. Six Sigma, by itself, is a name that sounds goofy. Within Six Sigma is the idea of the "Demaick" process, which is actually a reference to the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control process (or, DMAIC for short).

The topic can quickly become intimidating, which is too bad, because many may not realize they are already performing functions described within the DMAIC framework (the most obvious being the "Pareto Analysis," more commonly known as the "80/20 rule"). Six Sigma simply collects many familiar tools into one effective framework, and this book rapidly demystifies the process.

I recommend buying several copies of this book, and some in audio form (ISBN 0929071778), and making it available to your team. The book follows a discussion between two old friends, one from "American Pizza," the other from "American Burger." The fellow from American Pizza describes in detail how they implemented the DMAIC process, and how it affected their business. The fellow from American Burger reflects on how his failing division could have benefited from following the other's lead.

This book is quite entertaining on audio. Warning: every single time I thought of an objection, the book immediately countered it with a fact or example that quietly put my issue to rest. This, in itself, was a work of genius. Even though I read the hard bound copy, the audio is fun because it countered my concerns as quickly as I could think of them.

Looking back I've found that this book has driven me to read five more detailed books on Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, and other related topics. Well worth the price and highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Buy several copies and spread it around
Review: This book is actually a story. As I noted in my review of "The Goal," I am not a big fan of works of "business fiction." I find most irritating.

However, this book does an excellent job of rapidly demystifying and acquainting the reader to the Six Sigma framework. Many people are at first overwhelmed by the whole idea. Six Sigma, by itself, is a name that sounds goofy. Within Six Sigma is the idea of the "Demaick" process, which is actually a reference to the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control process (or, DMAIC for short).

The topic can quickly become intimidating, which is too bad, because many may not realize they are already performing functions described within the DMAIC framework (the most obvious being the "Pareto Analysis," more commonly known as the "80/20 rule"). Six Sigma simply collects many familiar tools into one effective framework, and this book rapidly demystifies the process.

I recommend buying several copies of this book, and some in audio form (ISBN 0929071778), and making it available to your team. The book follows a discussion between two old friends, one from "American Pizza," the other from "American Burger." The fellow from American Pizza describes in detail how they implemented the DMAIC process, and how it affected their business. The fellow from American Burger reflects on how his failing division could have benefited from following the other's lead.

This book is quite entertaining on audio. Warning: every single time I thought of an objection, the book immediately countered it with a fact or example that quietly put my issue to rest. This, in itself, was a work of genius. Even though I read the hard bound copy, the audio is fun because it countered my concerns as quickly as I could think of them.

Looking back I've found that this book has driven me to read five more detailed books on Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, and other related topics. Well worth the price and highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Effective Communication Tool on Six Sigma
Review: This book is for everyone who wants to understad the essence of Six Sigma. No other book on Six Sigma communicated so well a complex topic like Six Sigma the way this book did. I recommend this book to anyone who is already doing Six Sigma to use as a Corporate Communication tool.

If you are not doing Six Sigma, then read this book. It will encourage you to do Six Sigma and why it is important for your organization.

This book is contageous. I've already recommended to all of my friends.

MANAGERS and LEADERS MUST DISTRIBUTE THIS BOOK TO EACH OF THEIR EMPLOYEE SO THAT EVERYONE IN THE ORGANIZATION UNDERSTAND THE TOPIC.

I commend Author Chowdhury for writing such a fascinating book.

Rating:
Summary: Six Sigma, an easy reading to learn about it
Review: This book is small in size and number of pages but big in contents. Written in a fictional way, it shows what Six Sigma is all about, by explaining the basic concepts in an easy understandable language. You will know what champions, black belts and green belts are, together with the steps required to improve a process with Six Sigma. If you want to learn about the concepts of Six Sigma, this book is for you. If you already know about it, you better look for one of the implementation books available. Highly recommendable for Six Sigma newcomers and for business professionals that don't need to go too deep into it.

Rating:
Summary: A book for lazy managers
Review: This book starts out fine enough. It describes the frustration of being laid off, feeling worthless and wondering how do you go home and deal with the reality. Then the book promises something revolutionary that will improve the company, fatten the bottom line and involve everyone from the CEO down to the guy in the mailroom.

Baloney!

This book is high on the quantitative and low on qualitative. Sure, there's a theme about improved quality, but what I mean by 'qualitative' is that we never ever see how the guy in the mailroom fits into the revolution. This is a problem that bean-counters like the author can't deal with and don't seem to want to deal with.

While the Blackbelts are supported by the Greenbelts, and the Masters are in 100% support ... what's to be said about the guy in the mailroom? While the Black belt is counting the mailroom letters, and timing the mail delivery ... what is there to say about a disgruntled mailroom clerk who doesn't feel like he's a part of the new program? Why does this matter?

It matters because a lot of mistakes and quality problems are due to sabotage and lost interest; it's not always about measurable processes. "The Power of Six Sigma" suggests that a few new machines and the dedication of the Masters will overcome whatever resentment or frustration that rises up against the implementation of Six Sigma. No! This kind of stuff you can't measure with statistics or negate with new machines.

In the book, the proponent of the Six Sigma program explains how he solved a problem by hiring someone to "just answer the phone." This adds one more mundane, rotten job that stands to only counteract the Six Sigma success once burnout sets in, and the phone person gets abrasive and less attentive with customers. Face it! We've all dealt with this when we call places and need help from someone who was hired "just to answer the phone." Six Sigma doesn't deal with this in any form shape or fashion. Maybe because you can't quantify or measure burnout.

"The Power of Six Sigma" is a lazy, feel-good book for managers and it says nothing new. It's full of corny analogies, and is a thinly-veiled advertisement for Six Sigma training. And it's printed in a huge font like the books we read in 1st grade. It's a sad thing that this book is so hot ... I'd hoped that managers were smarter and more motivated than this book.

Rating:
Summary: Okay for beginners - not for professionals
Review: This is a great book to recommend to someone who may not know anything about Six Sigma, but it is not for someone who has some grasp of it and wants to know more.

Rating:
Summary: A good introductory reading about six sigma
Review: This is a very good, concise and interesting book introducing the concept of six sigma.

The author wisely used a more interesting approach of fictionalized tale to introduce the very academic, sometimes boring, but very useful methodology of six sigma (though the story itself is not very interesting). Readers can acquire the basic concept of six sigma within couple of hours (of course, you can't expect an in-depth study of six sigma within several hours) and then they start thinking carefully about this revolutionary methodology and start looking for further materials about six sigma available in the market.

Particularly, I like the author used a very funny phrase for the five-step process of implementing six sigma "Dumb Managers Always Ignore Customers" (DMAIC - Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control). I definitely won't forget it.

Rating:
Summary: Truly a great book
Review: This is truly a remarkable book on Six Sigma. No wonder Caterpillar Inc. distributed this book to 45,000 of its employees. Kudos to Subir Chowdhury.

Rating:
Summary: Packed with Knowledge!
Review: Understand from the outset what The Power of Six Sigma is not. It is not really a story about two buddies who lunch together while they pursue management success - that's just the framework. It is not a book on how to implement Six Sigma - although it would prove a useful adjunct to any such program. Nor is it one of those books filled with consultant-ese whose primary function seems to be to advertise: "You need to hire me to help you to dispel the confusion that my book just generated." This is actually a very down-to-earth introduction to the quality enhancement strategy that is continuing to transform the corporate world. Frustrated onlookers may believe that practitioners keep the practical meaning of Six Sigma hidden, like some secret magic potion, but this powerful little book blows the lid off the caldron. Written as a lunchroom dialogue between friends, it's as user-friendly as it is insightful. We from getAbstract highly recommend this manual to anyone at any level involved, or becoming involved, with Six Sigma.

Rating:
Summary: Great aid to understanding 6 sigma!
Review: Very entertaining and detailed enough to get all the basics of six sigma across. Plenty of ideas to highlight. Good finish with examples of the process implementation. Great for introducing the concepts and organizational structure to those unfamiliar with the process. Good reinforcement for those who are learning.