The Six Sigma Black Belt Handbook Results

All the authors are either master black belts, black belts with considerable experience in implementing SS, and/or have wide consulting experience in that field. Hence, this work is based on practical experience and not just theoretical knowledge.

The SS Black Belt Handbook comprises 21 chapters grouped into six parts. Part 1 dealing with the SS management system contains five chapters. The first chapter is a brief introduction to the SS metric, methodology and the management system. The next four chapters focus successively on the foundations of SS management system, the types of leadership required at different stages (aligning, mobilizing, accelerating, and governing) of SS implementation, five SS leadership insights, and the presentation of a comprehensive case study that discusses the issues covered in the previous three chapters.

Part 2 is a single chapter entitled six sigma and lean and concentrates on the two complementary processes of SS and lean production system. Types of lean initiatives such as 5‐S and boot strapping, and their benefits and drawbacks are listed. Brief examples from both service and manufacturing are included.

Part 3 comprises four chapters. The first two chapters in this part deal successively with an overview of team‐based approaches (kaizen, lean and SS), roles and responsibilities of champions in each of the three types of teams. The next two chapters describe in depth kaizen and lean teams and their use in the different stages of the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control of implementation) process.

Part 4 concentrates on SS teams, methodology and tools, which are covered in nine chapters. The first chapter introduces the DMAIC process and the next five chapters deal in depth the details of the five steps. Two case studies, one each from manufacturing and service functions, are used to explain some of the tools used. The final two chapters of this part, respectively, provide a summary of the DMAIC method and a description of define, measure, analyze, design, and verify process used for product and process design.

The sole chapter that forms Part 5 focuses on measuring the impact of SS, using various metrics using business scorecards that give due recognition for various stakeholder perspectives. It also presents two approaches (tracking year‐to‐year changes and measuring improvements with reference to goals) to building useful systems to measure an organization's financial performance.

The final part comprises two chapters that, respectively, deal with the topic of innovation (a prime force in achieving breakthrough improvements) and measurement system analysis within non‐manufacturing environments. It is emphasized that to create a really innovative atmosphere, there is a need to develop not only processes and measurement but also reward and recognition systems to support them.