The goal of this book is to provide you with the guidance and direction necessary to realize Six Sigma s promise, while avoiding traps and pitfalls commonly encountered. In this book you will find a complete overview of the management and organization of Six Sigma, the philosophy which underlies Six Sigma, and those problem solving techniques and statistical tools most often used in Six Sigma.

The book begins with a discussion of leadership issues in Chapter 1. Unfortunately, this book cannot provide the leadership of a Bob Galvin or a Jack Welch. Nor is it a substitute for the years of study and experience required to reach the technical proficiency of a Black Belt or Master Black Belt. However, with top management s commitment and the efforts of the right people, the information in this book can help your organization achieve its goal of becoming a world-class operation.

In leading Six Sigma, it is important to understand that it is primarily a new approach to management, not a technical program. The goals of Six Sigma are so ambitious a 100X quality improvement every two to three years as to constitute a completely different way of running the business. True, there is a significant technical component involved. But all the technical expertise in the world will fail to produce results unless the working environment is receptive to the ideas and changes that Six Sigma recommends.

Six Sigma can also be viewed as a creativity program. The activities undertaken by Six Sigma teams are designed to...