Preventing mistakes, they say, can make just as much money as flashy inventions, and the principle of Six Sigma is that by measuring how many mistakes are made you can systematically work out how to eliminate them altogether.
The Power of Six Sigma |
General Electrics, Allied Signal and DuPont bought into the idea – by focusing on process improvement and variation reduction through Six Sigma projects, they are purported to have saved millions of dollars.
So all you need is total management commitment, limitless resources, significant investment in training and a hierarchy of master black belts, black belts and green belts (no experience of martial arts necessary). A little far fetched? Read the book.
After a lunchtime with Chowdhury, you too will have sufficient conviction to espouse the futility of TQM and ISO9000 while heralding the coming of the ultimate in quality initiatives. The Power of Six Sigma won’t make you an expert, although it will inspire you to try.
Easy reading with short chapters and headlines in bold, you can pick up and put down Six Sigma according to the demands of your day.
It also has an absorbing storyline, interesting characters, and a conversational, yet concise style, so it won’t take long to read, and you’ll enjoy every bit of the brief encounter.
Such a simple presentation requires considerable insight, and it is clear from the text why Chowdhury is deemed an expert in this field.
With its lurid green jacket, The Power Of Six Sigma is not something you’ll want to keep on the bookshelf – lend it to a friend or colleague and spread the word – although at this price they can afford to buy their own.
The book provides the essence of Six Sigma related over a pizza lunch with a “to be continued” ending. I’m looking forward to the sequel.
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Alison Norris is personnel manager at Wealth Management Software
