A Note to Our Readers

People who have been in business for some time will probably recognize Six Sigma as one of the most widely used quality improvement methods available today. Those in manufacturing may have heard about Lean, a discipline that focuses on process speed and efficiency. To many others, "Lean" may sound like a dieting technique, and "Six Sigma" will simply be a number and a Greek word, with no particular meaning.

Either way, you're probably reading this book because your company is starting a Lean Six Sigma initiative. This book provides answers to some of your most important questions: What is Lean Six Sigma? Why is my company using it? What can it do for me?

First things first. What is Lean Six Sigma? Some people call it an improvement method because it uses data to identify and eliminate process problems. Others call it an improvement engine because it establishes a whole new set of roles and procedures inside an organization that work to continuously generate results. As you'll see when you read this book, both are right. Lean Six Sigma lives within a broader framework of meeting a company's goals and customer needs.

What you'll find in What is Lean Six Sigma?

The purpose of this book is to introduce you to Lean Six Sigma. It focuses on key themes, and is not intended as a reference manual. It shows how Lean Six Sigma helps companies flourish in a new world where customers expect high quality and fast delivery at minimal cost.

The first six chapters of this book walk through the foundations of Lean Six Sigma. The chapters emphasize the basic vocabulary and concepts you'll likely start hearing in your own company.

The last chapters look at applications of Lean Six Sigma. We provide evidence showing why so many companies are turning to Lean Six Sigma, and present case studies from teams of people just like you who have used the concepts and methods to improve their workplace.