The Complete Idiot's Guide to Lean Six Sigma

You're no idiot, of course. You know your business processes could use some fine-tuning. But when you try to improve efficiency and quality, you wonder if you'll ever win the workflow race…

Don't succumb! The Complete Idiot's Guide^® to Lean Six Sigma gives you the best of two proven process-improvement methods. In this Complete Idiot's Guide^®, you'll get:

• The basics of Lean Six Sigma — explained in an idiot-friendly style.
• Simple ways to analyze, improve, and control performance.
• Problem-solving strategies any business can use to boost results and returns.
• Expert advice on generating and evaluating solutions to your company's challenges.

• Part 1: Understanding Lean Six Sigma
  1. What Is Lean?
     • It's All About Value
     • Lean Is One Big Waste-Removal Machine
     • Where Did Lean Come From?
       • Henry Ford's Big Problem
       • Taiichi Ohno's Revelations
       • The Machine That Changed the World
     • What Is a Kaizen Event?
  2. The Basics of Lean
     • Muda, Muda, Muda (The Eight Types of Waste)
       • The Waste of Waiting
       • The Waste of Overproduction
       • The Waste of Rework
       • The Waste of Motion
       • The Waste of Transportation
       • The Waste of Processing
       • The Waste of Inventory
       • The Waste of Intellect
     • You Know More About Lean Than You Think
       • Practice Rapid Changeover
       • Keep the Flow
       • Pull What You Need
       • Balance the Workload
       • Develop Cellular Layouts
       • Embody the Five Ss
       • Make Mistakes Impossible
       • Standardize Work and Process
  3. What Is Six Sigma?
     • Many Things to Many People
     • Can You See Your Hidden Process?
     • Where Did Six Sigma Come From?
       • Quality Beginning
       • Quality Crazy
       • Quality Business
     • You Know More About Six Sigma Than You Think
       • Y = f(x)
       • Measure, Measure, Measure
       • Claim Your Entitlement
     • The Six Sigma DMAIC Methdology
  4. The Basics of Six Sigma
     • It's All Greek to Me
       • Basic Statistical Terms
       • What Is a CT?
       • What Are Specifications?
       • What Is a Statistical Population?
       • What Is a Standard Deviation?
     • What Does Six Sigma Look Like?
     • It's All About Variation
     • How Capable Is Your Process?
       • Mind Your CTs
       • Multiply Your Yields
     • Beware of Shift and Drift
  5. What Is Lean Six Sigma?
     • Lean Six Sigma Is Faster, Better, and Cheaper
       • The Business Focus
       • The Statistical Focus
       • Better Isn't Always Better
     • The Job of Business Is Value Creation
     • The Lineage of Lean Six Sigma
     • Evolution Cannot Be Stopped
     • Ode to the Pioneers
       • AlliedSignal
       • Maytag
     • DMAIC, or Kaizen Event?
• Part 2: Defining and Measuring Performance
  6. Develop Project Opportunities
     • Figure Out What's Critical
       • The Customer View
       • The Business Owner's View
     • Brainstorming Project Possibilities
     • More Idea Sources
       • The Balanced Scorecard
       • Voice of the Customer
       • Value Stream Mapping
       • The Bigger Picture
     • Separate Wheat from Chaff
     • What's Most Important?
     • The Prioritization Matrix
  7. Clarify the Problem
     • Introducing Define
     • Write Problem Statement
     • Define the High-Level Process
       • It All Comes Down to Processes
       • The SIPOC Map
       • Document the Process
       • Value-Added, Non-Value-Added
       • Spaghetti You Don't Eat
     • Collect the Voice of the Customer
       • The Kano Model
       • Focus on What Must Be
  8. Set the Goal
     • A Note About Scope
     • Define Project Metrics
       • One Project, One Y
       • Primary, Secondary, Consequential
     • Verify Alignment to Business Metrics
     • Establish Baseline and Entitlement
       • Calculate Your Standard Deviation
       • Don't Forget to Benchmark
     • Develop an Objective Statement
     • Estimate Financial Benefits
       • Savings, Cost Avoidance, and Revenue
  9. Finalize the Plan
     • Identify Project Team
     • Identify Stakeholders
       • Stakeholder Analysis
       • Power Influence Map
       • Stakeholder Action Plan
     • Identify Project Risks
     • Establish Project Timeline
     • Create Project Charter
     • Choosing Your Methodology
     • Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
     • Conduct Toolgate Review
  10. Measure the Process
      • Introducing Measure
      • Knowing What to Improve
        • Not as Easy as You Think
        • Four Things to Do
      • Primary Metric Defects or Time?
        • Flow the Process Flow
        • Swimming in Lanes
        • The 8.5-by-11 Syndrome
        • Significant Other Test
        • Value Stream Maps
      • Expose Simplification Opportunities
        • Executing Quick-Hit Opportunities
        • Where Do I Go From Here?
  11. Validate Measurement Systems
      • Identify Existing Measurement System
      • Analyze the Measurement System
        • Attribute MSA
        • Variable MSA
      • Improve the Measurement System
      • Validate Customer Requirements
        • Defect-Based Requirements
        • Time-Based Requirements
  12. Characterize the Process
      • Collect Data
        • Make a Plan
        • Sampling
      • Examine Process Stability
        • Run, Run Chart, Run
        • Control Chart
        • Histograms
      • Perform Capability Analysis
        • Why Sigma Score?
        • Process Capability and Time
      • Conduct Tollgate Review
• Part 3: Analyzing, Improving, and Controlling Processes
  13. Identify Potential Causes
      • Introducing Analyze
      • Focus on the xs
        • Wayne and Fred
        • Extracting Causes from Process Mapping
        • Brainstorming Techniques
        • Affinity Diagrams
        • Fishbone Diagrams
        • Ask Why Five Times
      • Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
      • Narrow the Potential Causes
        • Multivoting
        • Cause-and-Effect Matrix
      • Pick Your Analyze Tool Set
  14. Conduct Efficiency Analysis
      • Name That Waste
      • Value Analusis
      • Examining Imventory Levels
        • Queueing Theory
        • Little's Law
        • Takt Time Analysis
        • Do You Kanban?
      • Analysis of Resource Usage
        • Ideal Manning
        • Workload Balance
        • Analyzing Standard Work Combinations
        • Spaghetti Diagrams
      • Overall Equipment Effectiveness
        • Quick Changeover Opportunities
        • Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
      • Identifying Bottlenecks in the Process
  15. Find Significant xs
      • Collect Data on the xs
        • Computer Databases
        • Logs (Logbooks and Log Sheets)
        • Data Collection Forms
        • Check Sheets
        • Control Charts
        • Observation of Processes
      • Special Studies
      • Sample Size Calculations
        • Comparing Avergaes
        • Comparing Percentages (Proportions)
      • Graphical Analysis
      • Conduct Statistical Analysis
      • p-Values and Hypothesis Testing
      • Statistical Analysis Methods
        • Test for Averages
        • Test for Proportions
  16. Solve the Problem
      • Prioritize the xs
        • Focus on the Primary Metric
        • Revisit the Cause-and-Effect Matrix
      • Evaluate the Impact on Y
        • Design of Experiments
        • Analysis of Variance
        • Simulation
      • State the Y = f(x) Equation
      • Conduct Tollgate Review
  17. Create the Future State
      • Introducing Improve
      • Your Future State
        • What Needs to Change?
        • Which Path to Take?
      • The Five Ss
        • Sort (Seiri)
        • Store (Seiton)
        • Shine (Seiso)
        • Standardize (Seiketzu)
        • Sustain (Shitsuke)
      • Standard Work
        • Managing Standard Work
        • Multiple Skills Matrix
      • Cellular Layout
        • Rebalance Equipment
        • Quick Changeover
        • Implementing TPM
      • Kaizen Events
  18. Generate and Evaluate Solutions
      • Generate Solutions
        • Still Need Solutions?
        • Brainstorming
        • Structured Innovation
        • Applying Lean Concepts
        • Process Thinking
      • Evaluate Potential Solutions
        • Find Affinities and Consolidate
        • Potential Solutions Matrix
      • Conduct Experimental Trials
        • Simulations
        • Mathematical Models
      • State the Y = f(x)
        • Contour Plots
        • Optimaization
        • Monte Carlo Simulation
        • DOE Methods for Multiple Solutions
  19. Implement the Solution
      • Select the Solution
        • Ease, Permamence, Impact, and Cost
        • Selecting Competing Solutions
      • Pilot the Solution
      • Evaluate Pilot Performance
      • Identify Risks and Countermeasures
      • Develop Implementation Plan
        • Update Stakeholdr Analysis
        • The Training Plan
        • Systems and Supports
        • Communicate
      • Conduct Tollgate Review
  20. Develop the Control Plan
      • Introducing Control
      • Control x, Monitor Y
        • An Ounce of Prevention
        • Update Your Process Flow
        • Update Your FMEA
      • Be Consistent and Standardize
      • Plan for Control
  21. Use Control Charts
      • What Are Control Charts?
      • Constructing Control Charts
        • Individuals Control Chart
        • Other Control Charts
      • Interpreting a Control Chart
        • Special Causes
        • Common Causes
      • Acting on the Interpretation
  22. Lock In the Gains
      • Show Me the Money
      • Make It Known
        • Project Storyboard
        • The Final Report
      • Herding Cats
      • Opportunities and Obstacles
        • Opportunies
        • Obstacles
      • Pass the Baton
      • Conduct Tollgate Review
      • Let's Celebrate
• Part 4: Leading Lean Six Sigma Initiatives
  23. Lean Six Sigma Deployment
      • How Does a Business Excel?
      • Product/Service Life Cycle
        • Innovation and Growth
        • Design and Development
        • Operations and Support
      • Total Performance Excellence
      • Deployment Phases
        • Assess Performance
        • Plan Improvements
        • Enable Execution
        • Execute Projects and Events
        • Sustain Improvements
      • Critical Success Factors
  24. Prepare the Path
      • Assess Road map
      • Assess Organizational Readiness
        • Conduct Needs Assessment
        • Establish Cultural Readiness
        • Conduct Stakeholder Assessment
      • Evaluate the Organizational Situation
        • Review Organizational Strategy
        • Review Competitive Position
        • Customer Value Proposition
        • People Matter
      • Conduct Opportunity Assessment
        • Establish Approach
        • Educate and Engage Personnel
        • Project Identification
        • Prioritize Projects
        • Assign Methodology
        • Complete Project Charters
        • Project Tracking Software
  25. Design Your Destiny
      • Design Road Map
      • Establish Deployment Objectives
        • Design Overall Objectives
        • Current-Year Priorities
        • Design the Organization
      • Engage Leadership Support
        • Secure Executive Sponsorship
        • Demystify the Approach
        • Engage Deployment Champions
        • Champions and Process Owners
      • Install Deployment Infrastructure
        • Human Resources
        • Finance
        • Information Technology
        • Project Management
        • Training
        • Communication
      • Design Governance Model
        • Design Governance Metrics
        • Long-Term Practitioner Strategies
        • Establish Practitioner Selection Process
        • Identify Practitioners
        • Align Projects and People
        • Set Performance Objectives
  26. Enable Everyone Involved
      • Enable Road Map
      • Adapt Approaches and Intellectual Property
        • Evaluate and Adapt Methodology
        • Adapt Curiculum
        • Integrate with Other Initiatives
      • Management Awareness and Education
        • Deployment Champion Education
        • Project Champion Training
        • Process Owner Training
        • Functional Champion Training
      • Black Belts, Green Belts, and Facilitators
        • Welcome to Your New Career
        • Training and Project Work
        • Coaching and Mentoring
  27. Make It Happen
      • Execute and Sustain Road Map
      • Execute and Review Progress
        • The Implementation Plan
        • Execute and Review Projects
        • Champion Review
        • Steering Committee Review
        • Executive Team Review
      • Sustain the Initiative
      • Master Development
        • Role Definition and Selection
        • Train and Certify Masters
      • Adapt and Customize Deployment
        • Mine for Gold in Your Own Backyard
        • Manage and Disseminate Knowledge
      • Health Check and Dashboard Review
        • Deployment Health Check
        • Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News
      • Re-energize the Program
        • Deployment Objective Review
        • Evaluate Performance and Resources
        • Establish Focus for Next Year
• Appendixes
  1. Glossary
  2. Road Maps and Blueprint
  3. Sigma Conversion Chart
  4. Resources

If you are a bit confused about what is Six Sigma and what is Lean, this book won't help you. It is a confusing read, but maybe a consultants wet dream come true: as you need one to understand anything after this.

If you want to understand what Six Sigma is about and get a bit of sprinkling from Lean, this may be for you. Otherwise, it is a pretty meaningless book, albeit written in an easy-to-read prose and not containing too many errors.