The Toyota Way Fieldbook

Book Description

The Toyota Way Fieldbook is a companion to the international bestseller The Toyota Way. The Toyota Way Fieldbook builds on the philosophical aspects of Toyota's operating systems by detailing the concepts and providing practical examples for application that leaders need to bring Toyota's success-proven practices to life in any organization. The Toyota Way Fieldbook will help other companies learn from Toyota and develop systems that fit their unique cultures.

The book begins with a review of the principles of the Toyota Way through the 4Ps model-Philosophy, Processes, People and Partners, and Problem Solving. Readers looking to learn from Toyota's lean systems will be provided with the inside knowledge they need to

Define the companies purpose and develop a long-term philosophy
Create value streams with connected flow, standardized work, and level production
Build a culture to stop and fix problems
Develop leaders who promote and support the system
Find and develop exceptional people and partners
Learn the meaning of true root cause problem solving
Lead the change process and transform the total enterprise

The depth of detail provided draws on the authors combined experience of coaching and supporting companies in lean transformation. Toyota experts at the Georgetown, Kentucky plant, formally trained David Meier in TPS. Combined with Jeff Liker's extensive study of Toyota and his insightful knowledge the authors have developed unique models and ideas to explain the true philosophies and principles of the Toyota Production System.

Customer Reviews:

Toyota Way Fieldbook.......2007-10-09

Great addition to the Toyota Way book. Includes interesting tools to help implement and sustain principles.

Excellent Lean Mfg Reference Book.......2007-09-28

For those interested in learning about a Lean environment, this is probably one of the best references.

Implementing Lean Principles.......2007-07-19

This is an excellent on how to implement lean in a manufacturing facility. The plant leadership at our site has used this book to start a bookclub, reading one chapter a week and reviewing it the next. I wish we would have read this book sooner. It would have help to reduce a lot of frustrations. The book also covers Toyota's leadership structure and suggests how to go about implementing lean on the shopfloor if you are just beginning the journey.

Practical and useful "how to" companion to the Toytota Way.......2007-07-16

Book description: what's the key message?

While Jeffrey Liker's book The Toyota Way was an examination of the 14 Principles of the Toyota Way, it was not an explicit "how to" guide at a tactical level. This follow up book is intended as the more practical guide to Becoming Lean (to borrow the title of an earlier book written by Liker). The Fieldbook is organized in the framework of Toyota's 4 P's:

* Philosophy
* Process
* People and Partners
* Problem Solving

The book starts first with "philosophy," not lean tools. It develops an important relationship between the two. The book, in its entirety, emphasizes that copying Toyota tools, regardless of how thoroughly, is not enough to become lean. Early chapters talk about defining your company's purpose and philosophy, providing many examples of Toyota's purpose and unique view of their place in society and the world. From there, the Fieldbook guides you through a reasonable progression of lean topics and methods to work with in your own company. While there is no simple linear progression through a lean transformation, the authors address the challenge well in structuring the flow of the book. Typical "early" stages of lean learning and implementation are covered first, including learning how to identify waste, establishing process stability, and developing flow. The book spends more time on organizational culture and management methods, as opposed to tools. The book remains practical and actionable, rather than theoretical.

A strong central portion of the book focuses on developing leaders, how to lead in a lean environment, and how to develop "exceptional" employees. One particular highlight are the detailed examples, including a breakdown of the roles of Group Leaders, Team Leaders, and Team Members in a lean setting, not covered in most lean books.

The book recognizes that companies are not Toyota as a starting point. Rather, they are trying to become a Toyota-like lean organization. There is a chapter on respecting suppliers and managing them as Toyota does. The last sections of the book cover Toyota problem solving and implementation strategies, including a discussion of the pros and cons of different common lean transformation or implementation approaches, including kaizen events and the development of a "Company Production System."

How does it contribute to the lean knowledge base?

This book is a unique compilation of Toyota Production System methods, concepts, and philosophies. There are many adaptable examples of Toyota tools and methods, including Standard Work Combination tables, Cross Training matrices, 5 Why's problem solving analysis, and A3 reports. There are many new case study examples in the book that will be helpful, even to an experienced lean practitioner.

The book is also unique in that it is co-authored by a former Toyota team leader, an American, as opposed to reading an older book by Toyota executive Taiichi Ohno or consultant Shigeo Shingo.

What are the highlights? What works?

The book is very readable and easy to understand. Its layout and format borrows many of the good practices of the "For Dummies" series. You might consider this to be a "Toyota Production System For Dummies" book. There are many callouts with icons indicating "Tips" and "Traps" to look out for in your own lean implementation, to help avoid common lean implementation mistakes or failure modes.

This is very helpful, as the authors realize that it can be difficult work implementing lean. They never talk down to you or make you feel bad that you might struggle with the Toyota Way in your own environment, because you are not Toyota.

Furthermore, co-author David Meier was a group leader at Toyota. Many perspectives on Toyota come from the process or industrial engineering perspective, but the perspective of front-line supervisor is of significant value and often overlooked.

What are the weaknesses? What's missing?

While this is clearly a field book in its application focus, it is less clear how it is connected to companion book, The Toyota Way. The 14 principles of that book are mentioned briefly but are not integrated into this book. The Fieldbook has value as a standalone volume, but those looking for a specific companion to The Toyota Way will be disappointed.

You might be surprised to not find much information about Kanban, a process made famous by Toyota. Although the concept of pull is covered, there is no chapter on Kanban or examples of calculations or Kanban cards. Thankfully, there are many references and other books available on this topic.

How should I read this to get the most out of it?

The book can be read straight through. For an experienced lean practitioner, it can easily be used as a reference book. Topics are well organized and tools are easy to find with a well-documented index. For example, if you want an example of an A3 Report, you will find many pages of explanation about the tool and how to use you. You will also find fully completed examples of the tool. This is extremely helpful and adds to the book's value as a practical reference.

Great addition to Toyota Way but not as good.......2007-05-27

The Toyota Way Fieldbook is excellent and it's a great addition to the Toyota Way. It's hard to write a book as good as the Toyota Way, this book is good, but not as good as Toyota Way.

When I started reading the fieldbook, I was highly dissapointed. The first 200 pages basically just explained the basic lean tools. It's good if you do not know them, but I felt that the book didn't add anything to the existing lean literature. I expected more from Jeff Liker, especially after the excellent Toyota Way.

Part IV of the book starts around page 200 and talks about developing people. Here, for me, the book took a turn and became better the more I continued. (I also immediately ordered the new Toyota Talent book to hope to get more information on this side of Toyota). The organizational structures and training descriptions was very concrete, as I would expect in a fieldbook. Then Part V started around page 300 and it was... excellent. It's about find root causes and continuous learning. Just chapter 14 is worth the whole book. The description of the "therefore" method and it's relationship to the 5why's is very important. (this section talks about how 5why is a method for finding the root cause, but it's just as important to abstract the problem in "the true problem" so that you got more flexibility in ways of solving it).

The last part is about managing the change. The stories are all very nice and concrete. The advise is useful.

I really like this book, especially chapter 14! It gave me, again, new insights in Toyota's way of working and especially it's culture. The stories made it concrete and they were fun to read. Recommended, after you finished the Toyota Way.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road

Average customer rating:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road
Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean - great read
One of the top five Lean books of all-time
Must Read
This is the Lean 101 Bible!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road
Jamie Flinchbaugh , and Andy Carlino
Manufacturer: Society of Manufacturing Engineers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0872638316
Release Date: 2005-12-01

Product Description

Hitchhikers do not travel a fixed path. They intentionally wander so they can learn and grow along the way. Embarking on the lean journey is similar, there are many roads on which to wander and no single one is right for all. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road" reveals the most critical lessons learned over the authors' combined 30-plus years of exploring the lean highways. One of the book's lessons from the road is you need to pay attention to where you are and where you are going, just as you do when driving a car. Lean leaders add value by changing things, moving them forward, and producing different results than the day before. To lead, you must go beyond creating a vision. You must develop the vehicle that will deliver it. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean" is the vehicle that will help you move beyond the tools and take lean to a self-sustaining and continuously improving level. The book's 10 chapters cover lean principles and thinking, lean leadership moves, the roadmap for lean transformation, common pitfalls of lean journeys, building an operating system, lean accounting, lean material management, lean in service organizations, and how individuals can apply lean to improve themselves. The book concludes with interviews of lean practitioners on the front lines of change at Chrysler, Ross Controls, DTE Energy, RSR Corporation, and Nemak.

Customer Reviews:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road.......2007-10-05

I recommend this book for anyone considering Lean. I am buying it for all department directors. It gives the good and the bad, not just the good. I believe it will help people avoid making mistakes if they decide Lean is for them. A good overview of what to expect and gives examples average readers can understand. Highly recommended.

Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean - great read.......2007-07-03

In today's atmosphere to do more, with less, faster, with better quality, this book was a true insight into making an organization leaner.

One of the top five Lean books of all-time.......2007-06-08

This is an excellent book, and essential reading for Lean leadership. It is also a good starting point for any Lean practitioner or anyone taking on a major change effort. Before diving deep into the problem solving tools and systems of TPS, a study of The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean and the lessons contained within it will give you many tips for your journey. This book is clearly written, and well thought out. Each chapter offers 5 solid things to meditate on and put into practice. The passion and conviction of the authors comes through strongly. What U.S. industry needs are more thinkers and teachers like these.

Must Read.......2007-04-25

This book is a must read for any lean practioner. Jamie and Andy discuss how lean can guide all aspects of a business and the principles behind lean. The book covers every thing from kaizen to strategy deployment to accounting. Jamie and Andy break down lean in easy to understand verbiage while explaing the principles as well as discuss pitfalls and successes they have seen in implementing lean.

I can't recommend this book enough. Whether you are just strarting your lean journey or are well established in lean this book is worth the time.

This is the Lean 101 Bible!.......2007-03-15

I am a lean practitioner and have been for many years. I have been responsible for launching lean implementations in companies and am familiar with many challenges such as leadership, cultural change, company commitment, etc. This book provides all the foundational things one must know prior to going into a lean initative. People tend to think it's all about numbers and metrics. But it's also about the psychology of an organization. This book addresses all aspects! I recommend this book and John Shook's "Learning To See" as Lean 101 guides!

Average customer rating:

Process troubleshooting book.
Unique style
Great for students/interns and young process engineers!
How Process Equipment Works

A Working Guide to Process Equipment
Norman P. Lieberman , and Elizabeth T. Lieberman
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0071390871

Book Description

Working Guide to Process Equipment, 2nd Ed. carefully and clearly explains all the basic technical issues that you need to know to trouble-shoot most process equipment problems. This guide contains a wealth of useful diagnostic tips, worked-out calculations, practical examples, and informative illustrations to help you quickly pinpoint trouble and repair typical malfunctions in: Trayed and packed distillation towers; Natural and forced reboilers; Partial and total condensers; Steam systems and deaerators; Vaccuum systems; Fired heaters; Shell and tube heat exchangers; Centrifugal compressors; Gas turbines and reciprocating engines; Centrifugal pumps and motor drivers.

In no time at all, this essential problem-solving manual will become your most trusted on-the-job tool for dealing effectively wtih costly equipment malfunctions.

Customer Reviews:

Process troubleshooting book........2006-03-09

Boringless, easy to understand and real practical book. Reading this book I have troubleshoot many process problems effectively.
I strongly recommend this fantastic practical book for all levels.
arvind bhagat.

Unique style.......2005-08-22

The unique style of the author explaining basic concepts with everyday problem expamples is what makes this book very absorbing and useful.

Great for students/interns and young process engineers!.......2003-07-18

I'm a summer intern in an oil refinery and few of my tasks were to rerate exchangers, fin fan coolers, etc., and I didn't have any experience whatsoever! They don't teach at school how this equipment works in a process context and if you don't have a clue on what you're doing, this is the best book to refer to. It is very elementary, but at the same time, it can be very specific. It goes through fundamental steps for troubleshooting general processes as well as clear explanations of how most of the equipment in the industry work. Highly recommended at any level!

How Process Equipment Works.......1999-12-25

As a licensed professional engineer and consultant in the Houston, TX area, I found this to be an excellent and useful book. It simplifies and demystifies fundamental chemical engineering principals and effectively illustrates how theory applies to understanding the root cause/s of real world plant operating problems.

The Lieberman's also do a fine job of making the book interesting to read through the use of non-process plant related anecdotes. These anecdotes help the reader understand the principals presented by drawing upon experiences and situations common to everyday life.

Product Description

Speak the Language - Understand the Concepts - Know the Techniques

The Lean Manufacturing Pocket Handbook is intended as a reference guide covering the terms, concepts and techniques involved in Lean Manufacturing. It is written in an easy to understand fashion making it useful to both the seasoned Professional and the Novice.

Paper Back - .125" x 3 ¾" x 5 ½" - 44 Pages - 27 Visuals - 34 Definitions - 16 Examples

Customer Reviews:

Very tiny book.......2007-05-10

Very tiny book. I was not expecting such a small book. Very expensive item for its size.
Book arrived with a grease stain on the cover!

Handy Reference, Perfect for Training Seminar.......2007-01-13

If I had to give a 1-2 day seminar on the subject, this would be a handy handbook. For that purpose, it should be used, not as a general reference on lean manufacturing.

If this review was helpful, please add your vote. Thanks.

The Lean Manufacturing Handbook.......2007-01-09

I purchased this handbook to be used as a quick reference guide and as part training aid when I talk to my Clients in the manufacturing sector. It has completely satisfied these requirements and the other factor that appealed was its true "pocket" size.

Lean .......2006-08-28

Delighted with this book. Firstly it's size is great as when you are on the Gemba (Floor) you can have this in your back pocket and referance it when needed. It goes through the various concepts of Lean in an easy format and then explains the techniques. As a Lean BlackBelt myself, it's a great tool to use in every day situations.

Fantastic Little Book.......2006-06-13

This is a fantastic little book on lean manufacturing written by an experienced and knowledgeable industrial engineer. The author's in-depth knowledge on the subject enabled him to distill the critical and important elements of lean manufacturing and convey it in an easy to understand and follow format.

The book has clear definitions and explanations of concepts like JIT, lean manufacturing, waste (over-production, wait time, transportation, processing, inventory, motion and defect waste), value stream mapping, quality at source, cellular manufacturing, production leveling, Kanban and Kaizen, among other useful and interesting concepts.

The book is excellent value for money. It is recommended that one buys it for the whole company if involved in manufacturing operations.

Average customer rating:

Boring...
Great introduction to Six Sigma
Excellent primer on Six Sigma - recommend it!
A Great Outline of Six Sigma
The big DUH

What Is Six Sigma?
Pete Pande , and Larry Holpp
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0071381856

Book Description

A brief introduction to Six Sigma for employees

Six Sigma is today's most talked-about system for improving the quality of organizational processes. Written by bestselling author Peter Pande,What Is Six Sigma? is a concise summary of the core themes and processes of Six Sigma. Unlike almost all other books on Six Sigma, it is written for the employees of organizations rolling out Six Sigmanot just managers. This helpful overview describes what Six Sigma is, why companies are implementing it, and how employees can make it a success in their own organizations.

Based on the bestselling The Six Sigma Way, this accessable introduction to Six Sigma answers typical employee questions, concerns, and even skepticism about this revolutionary program. Includes:

The six themes of Six Sigma
A five-step roadmap to Six Sigma implementation
The 10 basic tools of Six Sigma, with an entire page devoted to each

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

Boring..........2007-05-10

This is sort of an idiot's eye view of the 6 Sigma process. I think it might be useful if you are trying to sell a six sigma program within your organization and your co-workers are like the characters featured in the Dilbert comic strip by Scott Adams. Especially the pointy haired boss.

There are better resources to use in understanding the value of six sigma.

Great introduction to Six Sigma.......2007-01-27

It may not be the most complete book of Six Sigma, but it is short, easy to understand and conveys the meaning of Quality to a greater audience.

Excellent primer on Six Sigma - recommend it!.......2007-01-23

Questions answered by this book
- What is Six Sigma and how does it work?
- What are the new roles employees play in Six Sigma?
- What is the Six Sigma problem-solving process?
- Why Six Sigma is not a flavor-of-the-month management trend?
- How does Six Sigma impact the bottom line?
- How does it impact jobs?
- What is a Six Sigma team and how does it operate?
- What you need to know to be successful in a Six Sigma team?
- How will your customers be affected by Six Sigma?

The Six Sigma Success Story
Approach
- Puts customer first
- Uses facts and data
Targets
- Improving customer satisfaction
- Reducing cycle times
- Reducing defects
Not merely a quality initiative ¡V it is a business initiative
- More than small, incremental improvements => requires breakthroughs in every area of operation
- Reaching ¡§Six Sigma¡¨ => Almost no defects
- Goes beyond statistics => total management commitment and philosophy (excellence, customer focus, process improvement, measurement)
- 80+ years of evolution: ¡§management science¡¨ => TQM => GE/Motorola/J&J/AmEx adoption
Six Sigma vs. TQM
- (External) Customer Focused
- ROI
- Working smarter, not harder (management philosophy)

Six What? What¡¦s a Sigma?
Definition
- Statistical measure ¡V of performance, product or process
- Goal ¡V toward near perfection
- Management System ¡V lasting business leadership and world-class performance
Pizza delivery window example ¡V deliver between 11:45 and 12:15 ¡V anything outside is a ¡§defect¡¨
- 2 Sigma: 68% on time
- 3 Sigma: 93%
- 4 Sigma: 99.4%
- 6 Sigma: 99.9997% (3 defects per million)
Good Sigma Measure
- Focuses on measuring what paying customers of a business care about ¡V outputs not inputs
o CTQs (Critical to Quality): customer requirements and expectations
- Provides consistent ways of measuring and comparison across processes (e.g., pizza baking vs. pizza delivery)
Six Sigma as a Goal
- 3 defects per million sounds like an abnormally high goal ¡V actually there is a compounding of failures in different processes, so end-to-end customer experience is much worse than the defect rates of individual processes
- Failures have a domino effect (e.g., one dissatisfied customer spreading the news)
Six Sigma as a Management System
- Management plays a key role (e.g., Jack Welch linked 40% of bonus of managers to Six Sigma performance)
- Ultimately success or failure depends on implementation at front-lines
The Six Themes of Six Sigma
1. Genuine Focus on the Customer
2. Data and Fact Driven Management
3. Processes Are Where The Action Is
4. Proactive Management
5. Boundaryless Collaboration
6. Drive For Perfection: Tolerate Failure

Six Sigma in Your Organization
Implementing Six Sigma - Three approaches
1. The Business Transformation (enterprise-wide)
a. Rapid change
b. Chaotic
2. Strategic Improvement (middle path ¡V one or two critical business needs)
a. High-Pri Opportunities
b. Not comprehensive
3. Problem Solving (leisurely ¡V most risky approach ¡V target most nagging issues)
a. Least disruptive
b. Risky as it doesn¡¦t fix underlying org issues
Roles
- Black Belt
o Full-time dedicated to Six Sigma change opportunities
o Usually works alongside a team assigned to specific Six Sigma project
- Master Black Belt (MBB)
o Coach and mentor to Black Belts
o Expert in Six Sigma analytical tools
- Green Belt
o Trained in Six Sigma skills
o Has a ¡§real¡¨ job, i.e., part-timer on Six Sigma
o Brings new concepts and tools of Six Sigma to day-to-day activities of business
- Champion and/or Sponsor
o Exec or key manager who initiates and supports Black Belt / Team Project
o Ultimately accountable for the success of the project
o Often member of Leadership Council or Steering Committee
- Implementation Leader
o Typical titles are ¡§Vice President for Six Sigma¡¨ or ¡§Chief Sigma Officer¡¨
o Orchestrates Six Sigma across enterprise
o High stress position => Typically temporary (few years)
o Conscience of top management
Certification Process
- Based on passing a test and completing certain number of projects

The Six Sigma Team¡¦s Problem-Solving Process: DMAIC

DMAIC ¡V pronounced ¡§duh-MAY-ick¡¨ - Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control
- Improvement, problem-solving, and process-design teams are the most visible and active component of a Six Sigma effort.
- These teams are created to solve organizational problems and capitalize on opportunities
- Led by a Black Belt or a Green Belt
- Members come from different departments, job levels, backgrounds, skills and seniority
- DMAIC is the common process that members use
In working with the DMAIC process, the team interacts with the larger organization, interviews customers, gathers data, and talks to people whose work will be affected by its recommendations.
The DMAIC Team Life Cycle
Phase 1: Identifying and Selecting Projects
o Meaningful
o Manageable
Phase 2: Forming the Team
o Good working knowledge of the problem
o Not too deeply rooted (i.e., not be a part of the problem º)
Phase 3: Developing the Charter
o Written Guide (may evolve during the course of the project)
o Includes reason, goal, basic project plan, scope, roles and responsibilities
Phase 4: Training the Team
o DMAIC process (totals 1-4 weeks ¡V spread across project)
Phase 5: Doing DMAIC and Implementing Solutions
o Teams are responsible for implementing their own solutions (no hand-offs)
o Project Plans, Training, Pilots and Procedures, Measurement => Implementation
Phase 6: Handing off the Solution
o Eventually teams disband
o Formal handoff to ¡§Process Owner¡¨

What makes DMAIC different?
- Measuring problem
- Customer Focus
- Root Cause Analysis
- Breaking Old Habits
- Risk Management
- Measuring results
- Sustaining change
Five DMAIC Steps
1. Define the Problem
a. What are we working on?
b. Why on this particular problem?
c. Who is the customer?
d. What are the customer¡¦s requirements? (VoC = Voice of Customer translated to reqs)
e. How is work currently being done?
f. What are the benefits of making the improvement?
Output of this is the Charter which typically includes
- Business Case
- Problem / Opportunity and Goal Statements
- Constraints / Assumptions
- Scope
- Players and roles
- Preliminary Plan
Includes Voice of Customer translated into Customer Requirements, High-Level Process Diagrams showing 5-10 major steps in the process.

2. Measure
a. Gather data to validate and quantify opportunity
b. Begin teasing out facts and numbers to get clues on causes

Check out Figure 4-1 on p. 34 for a good illustration of measurement in different stages -

Output (end results)
Process (things that can be tracked and measured)
Input (things coming into the process)

Output Ys and Process Xs
o Y: measures of results
o X: measures of inputs
X The challenge for the DMAIC team is to figure out which of these Xs has the most impact on the problem being tackled.

Once it is determined what to measure, DMAIC team forms a ¡§data collection plan¡¨
o Move from comfortable conference room to ¡§real world¡¨ of getting people to count and quantify
o Getting cooperation from customers, colleagues, and suppliers is critical

3. Analyze
a. Analysis to find ¡§root cause¡¨
i. Sometimes root causes are evident
ii. Often buried under piles of paperwork, process complexities, etc.
b. Root Cause categories (5M and 1P)
i. Methods (procedures or techniques)
ii. Machines (technology)
iii. Materials (data, instructions, forms, files)
iv. Measures (incorrect or intrusive)
v. Mother Nature (chance factors)
vi. People

4. Improve
a. This step ¡V solution and action ¡V is where many people are tempted to jump right from the start of the project. In fact the habit of starting to solve a problem without first understanding it is so strong that many teams find it a challenge to stick with the objective rigor of the DMAIC process.
b. Truly creative solutions that address the underlying causes of the problem and that people working in the process find acceptable don¡¦t grow on trees. And once new ideas are developed, they have to be tested, refined, and implemented.
c. Assumption busting and other creativity exercises help the team shake up its thinking and approach idea generation in new ways. The team may also look at other companies or other groups in their business to see whether they can borrow ¡§best practices.¡¨
d. Once several potential solutions have been proposed, the analytical headsets go back on, and several criteria, including costs and likely benefits, are used to select the most promising and practical solutions. The ¡§final¡¨ solution or series of changes must always be approved by the Champion and often by the entire leadership team.
e. At this point ¡§Improve¡¨ becomes ¡§Implement¡¨
i. Solutions have to be carefully managed and tested
ii. Small-scale pilots are practically mandatory
iii. Teams go through ¡§potential problem analysis¡¨ to determine risks
iv. New changes have to be ¡§sold¡¨ to critical org members

5. Control
a. Monitoring process to keep track of the recommended changes
b. Response plan for dealing with problems that may arise
c. Keep management focus on Xs (the big ¡§root causes¡¨)
d. Sell project through presentations and demos
e. Hand-off project responsibilities to day-to-day work owners
f. Ensure support from management for the long-term goals

Survivor¡¦s Guide to Six Sigma
- Fundamental Six Sigma principle ¡V ¡§people close to the work are often best equipped to improve it¡¨
- At the same time organizational leaders need to provide direction and be fully engaged
- Trick: Create process that is both top-down and bottom-up
- Putting Six Sigma in place is not a step-by-step rote effort, but rather an evolving learning experience
If called to join DMAIC team, ask yourself
- Am I comfortable working in a team setting?
- Will my workload allow me the time to do a good job?
- Do I really have something to contribute?
- Will I have a say in what the team recommends?
Success Factors
- Engaged Champion - senior management sponsor who is interested in the outcome and willing to provide resources and support the team
- Available Time - of the core team members
- Influence or Control ¡V Core team should include members responsible for part of business intended to be changed
- Alignment with other efforts ¡V No overlaps or conflicts with competing projects
- Accountability ¡V You and your teammates should feel accountable for getting your projects done, as should the Champion and even your own boss, who may drag you away from the DMAIC work if he or she doesn¡¦t see it as important.
Data Gathering Challenges
- Computers and IT group often don¡¦t offer the type of numbers or detail needed for DMAIC analysis
- Black Belts and their colleagues have to pull data from the process manually, using people in the process to count or measure
Why join the Core (DMAIC) Team?
- Experience (overall business management perspective)
- Exposure (recognition from senior leaders)
- Excitement (real issues => making a difference)
- Enlightenment (learn to ask better questions and make fact-based decisions)

A Look Inside the Six Sigma Toolkit

Tools for Generating Ideas and Organizing Information (see p. 52-55 for illustrations)
- Brainstorming
- Affinity Diagramming
- Multivoting
- Structure Tree
- High Level Process Map (SIPOC Diagram) ¡V Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer
- Flow Chart (Process Map) ¡V Details of Process
- Cause-and-Effect (Fishbone) Diagram
Tools for Data Gathering
- Sampling
- Operational Definitions
- Voice of the Customer (VOC) Methods
- Checksheets and Spreadsheets
- Measurement Systems Analysis
Tools for Process and Data Analysis
- Process-Flow Analysis
- Value and Non-Value-Added Analysis
- Charts and Graphs
o Pareto
o Histogram
o Trend
o Scatter Plot
Tools for Statistical Analysis
- Tests of statistical significance
- Correlation and Regression
- Design of Experiments
Tools for Implementation and Process Management
- Project Management Methods
- Potential Problem Analysis and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
- Stakeholder Analysis
- Force Field Diagram
- Process Documentation
- Balanced Scorecard and Process Dashboards

A Great Outline of Six Sigma.......2006-12-27

This book is touted as a primer and that it outlines for employees the core ideas of Six Sigma and I found that it did just that. The authors work their way through the Six Sigma process step by step and in a clear easy to follow manner that anyone could benefit from.

For me I was a little disappointed because I wanted more detail about Six Sigma but that is not the intention of this book (as described on the backcover) and as such should not have been expected by me.

This is a great book for anybody who wants a quick overview of what six sigma is or for those who want to get some basics under their belt before they begin Six Sigma training. I learned enough here that I feel confident enough to understand the pros and cons of Six Sigma and capable to begin reading higher level texts on the subject.

The big DUH.......2006-03-25

This book is good enough at what it sets out to do, which is to define the major concepts and terms used by members of the Cult of Six Sigma. Spoiler alert: Six Sigma is process improvement using logic and data. (Well, duh!) Now you can save yourself nine bucks.

Average customer rating:

What is Lean Six Sigma Book Review
What is LEAN SIX SIGMA?
An accelerated explanation of how to produce more and better results, in less time, and at a lower cost
Lean Six Sigma
great intro book to lean 6

What is Lean Six Sigma
Michael L. George , David Rowlands , and Bill Kastle
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 007142668X

Book Description

A quick introduction on how to use Lean Six Sigma to improve your workplace, meet your goals, and better serve your customers.

Lean Six Sigma combines the two most important improvement trends of our time: making work better (using Six Sigma) and making work faster (using Lean principles). In this plain-English guide, you’ll discover how this remarkable quality improvement method can give you the tools to identify and eliminate waste and quality problems in your own work area.

Packed with diagrams, cartoons, and real-life examples, What is Lean Six Sigma? reveals the “four keys” of Lean Six Sigma and how they apply to your own job:

Delight your customers with speed and quality
Improve your processes
Work together for maximum gain
Base decisions on data and facts

You’ll see the big picture of what your company hopes to gain with Lean Six Sigma, how it may affect your work area, and what it can mean to you personally.

Customer Reviews:

What is Lean Six Sigma Book Review.......2007-09-21

This book is an excellent primer for people considering instituting the Lean Six Sigma process within their company. It is an easy and quick read. We have used multiple copies to introduce the process to our empolyees.

What is LEAN SIX SIGMA?.......2007-06-11

Excellent Lean Six Sigma overview book - suitable to hand out during Yellow Belt or Green Belt Training as a support to the participants. As a Certified Black Belt, I can confirm the material is correct (for the experts) & can be understood (for the folk new to LSS).

An accelerated explanation of how to produce more and better results, in less time, and at a lower cost .......2007-05-16

It seems eminently appropriate that a book which explains what Lean Six Sigma is (and isn't) should exemplify the same principles it addresses: It delights its reader with the speed by which its material is covered and with the quality of that material, it offers immediate help with mastering whatever the given process (or processes) may be, its authors work effectively with their reader to achieve the desired objectives within that reader's organization, and they prepare their reader to make better decisions, based on verifiable data.

Many people who consider purchasing it may be deterred by terms such Six Sigma and Lean which tend to be associated only with immensely large and complicated organizations such as GE and Motorola. In fact, authors Mike George, Dave Rowlands, and Bill Kastle include a number of mini-case studies throughout their narrative that suggest how decision-makers in almost any organization (regardless of size or nature) can apply Lean Six Sigma to produce more and better results, in less time, and at a lower cost if (huge "if") there are leadership at the top of the given organization, buy-in and sustained commitment at all levels and in all areas, sufficient resources, and accurate and consistent performance measurement.

For me, some of the most valuable material is provided in Chapter 8, "Making Improvements That Last." After explaining the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) process, the authors make skillful use of various "Figures" that serve two separate but related purposes: they highlight key points, and, they facilitate, indeed expedite frequent review of those points later. For example, Figure 8.1: Sample Project Charter that demonstrates how to capture the essence of a Lean Six Sigma project. It describes what the team should accomplish, who will work on the project (and in what roles), timelines and other key information. Then with Figure 8.3: Value Stream Map, the authors indicate with the example provided how the value stream map, based on an actual process, captures the main sequence of activities in the boxes across the top line. If executed with rigor and discipline, the DMAIC process offers a framework for effective collaboration that will reveal real solutions to root problems.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones's Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation and their more recent book, Lean Solutions: How Companies and Customers Can Create Value and Wealth Together. Also, Michael George's Lean Six Sigma for Service: How to Use Lean Speed and Six Sigma Quality to Improve Services and Transactions, The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook: A Quick Reference Guide to 100 Tools for Improving Quality and Speed (with John Maxey and David T. Rowlands) and Fast Innovation: Achieving Superior Differentiation, Speed to Market, and Increased Profitability (with James Works, and Kimberly Watson-Hemphill).

Lean Six Sigma.......2007-01-12

Our organizations is implementing the Lean Six Sigma concept, so I wanted to read about it. What I have read so far, the books is intersting and covers the material very well.

great intro book to lean 6.......2007-01-03

Go AIRSpeed! I suggest this book to all servicemen and women who are part of AIRSpeed. Great inrto into the world of lean thinking.

Manufacturing Processes for Engineering Materials (4th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Great book and great educator
Oversimplified
A great engineering book
A great engineering book
I thi think that it is an excellent text.

Manufacturing Processes for Engineering Materials (4th Edition)
Serope Kalpakjian , and Steven R. Schmid
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0130408719

Book Description

Well organized and clearly written, this book uses a sound analytical approach to explain manufacturing processes; it enables the reader to understand and appreciate the complex interrelationships between the diverse topics in this field. The book carefully presents the fundamentals of materials processing along with their relevant applications, so that the reader can clearly assess the capabilities, limitations, and potentials of manufacturing processes and their competitive aspects. Using real-world examples and well-wrought graphics, this book covers a multitude of topics, including the mechanical behavior of materials; the structure and manufacturing properties of metals; surfaces, dimensional characteristics, inspection, and quality assurance; metal-casting processes including heat treatment; bulk deformation processes; sheet-metal forming processes; material removal processes; polymers, reinforced plastics, rapid prototyping and rapid tooling; metal powders, ceramics, glasses, composites, and superconductors; joining and fastening processes; microelectronic and micromechanical devices; automation; computer-integrated systems; and product design. For manufacturing engineers, metallurgists, industrial designers, material handlers, product designers, and quality assurance managers.

Customer Reviews:

Great book and great educator.......2003-02-05

i was privileged enough to have dr. kalpakjian as a teacher in college before he retired. we used his 3rd edition as our textbook. now as i start my career in engineering, i am finding that i need to refer to the book! i borrowed the book in college for his class and am now buying a copy for our office. a great reference. very well thought out book with excellent diagrams. worth every penny.

Oversimplified.......2001-04-25

The emphasis of this book seems to be more on the basic mechanics of the different processes it describes. That's fine, and important to understand manufacturing, but...

BUT, he gives very little attention to how the material being processed responds to the processing. Without a better understanding of the microstructural effects -- and ensuing DEfects -- it may be too hard to troubleshoot the processes described in this book.

My professor was flipping through the early chapters of this book (where the materials issues are presented) and declared them "cheesy."

So, to sum up: this good book becomes great by combining it with other books/courses/professors/etc that will interject materials issues into this books discussion of the mechanical issues.

A great engineering book.......2001-04-16

This book is one of the best in manufacturing engineering, even if there are a few mistakes in some mathematical deductions. I think it is a very didactic and easy to learn book, it shows almost every manufacturing process used by modern industry.

A great engineering book.......2001-04-16

I thi think that it is an excellent text........1999-05-24

I think that the book is very good on the fundamentals of manufacturing and a must read. It serves as an excellent reference book in my opinion and is well worth its high price tag.

Andy & Me: Crisis And Transformation On The Lean Journey

Average customer rating:

A quick read but not worth it.
Andy & Me
A Good Read about Lean - if a little light on detail
A Golden Nugget
Excellent

Andy & Me: Crisis And Transformation On The Lean Journey
Pascal Dennis
Manufacturer: Productivity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563272989

Book Description

Based on the author's personal experience with Toyota senseis and with companies in the midst of great change, Andy & Me is a business novel set in a failing New Jersey auto plant focusing on the tribulations of Tom Pappas, the plant manager. The situations, characters and plant "politics" will ring true with many readers.

In a cool, readable style, Andy & Me follows Tom's relationship with Andy Saito, a reclusive, retired Toyota guru whom Tom persuades to help save his plant through the "teaching" of legendary Toyota Production System (TPS).

On this journey, the reader learns that TPS is more than just a collection of tools; it entails a new way of thinking and behaving. Though Tom finds success — both in his plant and in his personal life — he learns from Andy that successful improvement is "endless and eternal."

Customer Reviews:

A quick read but not worth it. .......2007-06-23

I had hoped this book would provide more detail on TPS, but it is very light on any detail and glosses over many points. After you have read The Goal and are use to its style of teaching manufacturing principles in the context of a novel, this book leaves you feeling really disappointed.

Andy & Me.......2007-01-20

YES read "Andy & Me" for a quick overview and high-level understanding of the LEAN process. The book will not tell you how to create the LEAN process but will give you a basic understanding to build on and insight into the questions you may need to ask for your particular situation.

A Good Read about Lean - if a little light on detail.......2006-12-03

As soon as I had finished this book, I reread it - to get the most out of the material presented. It is the best written lean business novel I have seen (though I also like "Who's Counting" by Jerry Solomon - available on Amazon.com). The book launches straight into the lean journey and presents the issues and challenges well. It is a good introductory read to help you get to grips with the ideas. My problem with it is that it doesn't go into any detail. There is no explanation of how the culture is changed to support involvement on problem solving; or how to do 5S, or kaizen; or how to map the value stream. But it provides a great overview and it is upbeat in tone - great for getting your energy up on the start of the lean journey, or to refresh your spirits when problems arise. Easy to read on the train or plane too. Recommended.

The author, Pascal Dennis, also wrote "Lean Production Simplified" a very clear plain English guide to lean principles and processes.

A Golden Nugget.......2006-07-24

I have read a few business improvement novels in the past few years, but this one blew me away. I picked it up and was halfway through the book before I was forced to put it down by some prior engagements. It had a wealth of information that someone eager to learn could consume and digest without trouble, as well as a story line that kept me interested and willing to keep flipping through pages. I highly recommend this literature to anyone interested in manufacturing, lean initiatives, or reading.

I wouldn't recommend this book to Amazon, because rather than buying the next book I'm probably just going to re-read this one.

Excellent.......2006-07-03

This is another "Business novel." The author does an effective job of communicating the philosophy of the Toyota Production System, and discussing organizational transition.

Composites Manufacturing: Materials, Product and Process Engineering

Average customer rating:

Reviews from 5 leading experts in the composites industry

Composites Manufacturing: Materials, Product and Process Engineering
Sanjay Mazumdar
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0849305853

Book Description

More and more companies manufacture reinforced composite products. To meet the market need, researchers and industries are developing manufacturing methods without a reference that thoroughly covers the manufacturing guidelines. Composites Manufacturing: Materials, Product, and Process Engineering fills this void. The author presents a fundamental classification of processes, helping you understand where a process fits within the overall scheme and which process is best suited for a particular component. You will understand: Â· Types of raw materials available for the fabrication of composite products Â· Methods of selecting right material for an application Â· Six important phases of a product development process Â· Design for manufacturing (DFM) approach for integrating benefits and capabilities of the manufacturing process into design of the product so that the best product can be produced in a shortest possible time and with limited resources Â· Detailed description of composites manufacturing processes with some case studies on actual part making such as boat hulls, bathtubs, fishing rods and more Â· Process models and process selection criteria Â· Design and manufacturing guidelines for making cost-competitive composite products Â· Procedures for writing manufacturing instructions and bill of materials Â· Joining and machining techniques for composite materials Â· Cost-estimating techniques and methods of comparing technologies/manufacturing processes based on cost Â· Recycling approach to deal with post-market composite products To stay ahead in this quickly changing field, you need information you can trust. You need Composites Manufacturing: Materials, Product, and Process Engineering.

Customer Reviews:

Reviews from 5 leading experts in the composites industry.......2002-02-01

This book is reviewed by several leading experts in the field of composites manufacturing. Experts are from various companies and leading universities such as M.I.T. Top four reviews are as printed in the back cover of the book.
"A comprehensive guide to composites that encompasses aspects for design, manufacture, tooling, and cost considerations of this complex field for aerospace and commercial applications. This book is an excellent source of information for all disciplines, bringing together both introductory and advanced resources in one publication."
By Gerald E. Sutton, Vice President-RTM, ATP, Inc., Intellitec Division, DeLand, Florida, USA

" · Provides a broad overview of the topics of composites manufacturing
· Pulls together key references and provides guidelines to help navigate through this complex field
· Covers many topics not often covered elsewhere, such as production planning, cost, and recycling"
By Timothy Gutowski, Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

"This book is suitable for a broad range of users. It focuses on the fundamental processes an engineer or program manager must address when planning to employ advanced composites into his or her project. The book encompasses the latest technology and design issues as composite design science matures."
By John Marks, Vice President and General Manager,
COI Materials Inc., San Diego, California, USA

"This is a good, basic introduction to the field of composites manufacturing and product development. The cost estimating and production planning chapters are very comprehensive. It contains many references to sources of more detailed information.
By Dr. John O. Taylor, Vice President, Engineering and R&D
Goodrich Corporation, Glacier Garlock Bearings Division, Thorofare, New Jersey, USA

Customer Reviews:

Great Book for Beginning Process Engineers.......2006-09-19

This is a very thorough book that leads you through the entire redesign process. I especially liked Chapter 10, "Document Processes", as it is a good place to start the book. This is a very good book for process redesign training - not too detailed to bore training participants, but thorough enough to provide the trainees with a solid process redesign foundation. Packed with useful information and very, very good illustrations - examples that bring the point home. After reading this book, a good follow up is "Business Process Improvement Workbook" by Harrington, Esseling and van Nimwegen ....

Good for process redesign team.......2004-10-06

The authors introduced comprehensively a lot of important topics in process redesign effort, such as core processes identification and performance measurement. These are good to any process redesign team.
The weakness is that there is no clear roadmap by the sequence of content in this book. Many chapaters show in-depth explanation, but looks lack of logic once put into practices. This confuses many process redesign teams.

The best entry level book on the subject.......2004-07-28

A few years back, I developed a jones over process improvement. I went to a few national book retailers and a large respected university bookstore and researched Amazon to examine different texts on the subject. When I came accross this text, I was immediately taken by its clear descriptions and practical advice. It supplements the specific topics with useful tables and workplans. There exists more thorough texts on most of the topics. For example, volumes have been written about reengineering or continuous improvement. However, the vast majority of people looking for guidance will find more than enough information here. Another nice thing is that the authors don't waste time trying to persuade the reader, as some other books do, that these topics are important. They simply and clearly describe the subject at hand and show how to implement. The brevity, clear descriptions, and inclusion of only the most relavent information make this book a must-have for anyone who is concerned with process improvement.

Satisfactory.......2003-01-10

I use this book to teach business process management for the MBA class. It does not have the depth or rigor of a textbook, but does a decent job of addressing the major issues.

Comprehensive and full of excellent info & ideas.......2001-05-27

I got this book based on a friend's recommendation because I was struggling with a process design application called iGrafx Process (also available from Amazon).

I learned that there is much more to process design than basic models based on entry, task, validation and exit criteria. For example, performance measurements and performance efficiency were two areas where this book strengthened my understanding of process design and implementation. They also and enabled me to effectively use iGrafx Process to its fullest.

Other chapters that taught me a lot addressed improvement planning, continuous improvement and process benchmarking. I was able to immediately incorporate the knowledge gained into processes that I was developing, and it made a significant difference in the quality of my work.

The best chapter, in my opinion, was in installing the improved processes. I gained a lot of knowledge and techniques for overcoming barriers and how to objectively measure the degree of improvement. This was reinforced by material that is provided in the appendices, including case studies and an excellent description of Six-Sigma analysis.

Overall, this is a valuable book to anyone who designs or implements new processes, or reengineers existing ones. Most of my work is new design and implementation, so that was the context in which I read the book. If I were assigned to a reengineering project this would be the first book to which I'd turn for guidance and information. It earns a solid five stars and a permanent place in my professional library.

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