Six Sigma For Dummies, 2nd Edition

This is the fast and easy way to understand and implement Six Sigma. The world’s largest and most profitable companies – including the likes of GE, Bank of America, Honeywell, DuPont, Samsung, Starwood Hotels, Bechtel, and Motorola – have used Six Sigma to achieve breathtaking improvements in business performance, in everything from products to processes to complex systems and even in work environments. Over the past decade, over $100 billion in bottom-line performance has been achieved through corporate Six Sigma programs. Yet, despite its astounding effectiveness, few outside of the community of Six Sigma practitioners know what Six Sigma is all about. With this book, Six Sigma is revealed to everyone. You might be in a company that’s already implemented Six Sigma, or your organization may be considering it. You may be a student who wants to learn how it works, or you might be a seasoned business professional who needs to get up to speed. In any case, this updated edition of “Six Sigma For Dummies” is the most straightforward, non-intimidating guide on the market. This title contains new and updated material, including real-world examples. It shows what Six Sigma is all about and how it works. It covers the benefits of Six Sigma in organizations and businesses. It presents the powerful “DMAIC” problem-solving roadmap. It also shows Yellow, Green and Black – how the Six Sigma “belt” system works; and how to select and utilize the right tools and technologies. It helps us in: speaking the language of Six Sigma; knowing the roles and responsibilities; and, mastering the statistics skills and analytical methods. “Six Sigma For Dummies” will become everyone’s Number 1 resource for discovering and mastering the world’s most famous and powerful improvement tool. Stephen Covey is spot-on when he says, “”Six Sigma For Dummies” is a book to be read by everyone”.

Table of Contents

Part I: Getting Acquainted with Six Sigma Basics
Chapter 1: Better Business and Better Performance: Defining Six Sigma
Chapter 2: Linking Quality and Business
Chapter 3: Examining the Principles and Language of Six Sigma
Chapter 4: Organizing for Improvement

Part II: DMAIC: Defining and Measuring
Chapter 5: Identifying and Right-Sizing Projects
Chapter 6: Launching a Project
Chapter 7: Mapping to Identify Possible Factors
Chapter 8: Diagramming to Identify Possible Factors
Chapter 9: Describing Performance with Numbers

Part III: DMAIC: Analyzing
Chapter 10: Depicting and Analyzing Data through Charts and Graphs
Chapter 11: Analyzing for Value
Chapter 12: What’s Normal? Recognizing Normally-Shaped Variation
Chapter 13: Assessing Capability: Comparing the Voices of the Customer and the Process
Chapter 14: Gauging Gauges: Measurement System Analysis (MSA)
Chapter 15: Mining Data and Processes for Insight
Chapter 16: Making Confident Decisions

Part IV: DMAIC: Improving and Controlling
Chapter 17: Forecasting Future Performance
Chapter 18: Designing, Conducting, and Analyzing Experiments (DOE)
Chapter 19: Standardizing on Improvement
Chapter 20: Maintaining Gains through Statistical Process Control

Part V: Looking at the Six Sigma Technology Tool Landscape
Chapter 21: Eyeing Process Characterization and Optimization Technologies
Chapter 22: Tools for Performing Six Sigma Analysis
Chapter 23: Managing Six Sigma

Part VI: The Part of Tens
Chapter 24: Ten Top Do’s and Don’ts of Six Sigma
Chapter 25: Ten Ways to Gain Synergies with Lean and Six Sigma
Chapter 26: Ten Places to Go for Help