A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

If you are implementing a KPI based reporting system buy this book, 06 Aug 2007
I read this book in order to get up to speed on KPI based reporting systems prior to implementing one. There are excellent suggestions and guidlines that steer you in the right direction. The authors writing style is excellent.

A Masterpiece, 21 Jun 2007
Getting your performance measures right is vitally important to the
performance of your organisation and will mean the difference between
success and failure. All too often I see organisations drown in a sea of
useless measures (analysis paralysis) with no clear focus. Other
organisations see measures as something only the bean counters should do.

Providing a complete A-Z cookbook, this book sets the standard for any
organisation developing their performance measures and will soon be
recognised as the definitive work on this subject.

For anyone wanting to develop a new set of measures or simply overhaul the
existing set this book really is a must-read. If you only ever buy one book on performance measures - buy this one.

A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

If you are implementing a KPI based reporting system buy this book, 06 Aug 2007
I read this book in order to get up to speed on KPI based reporting systems prior to implementing one. There are excellent suggestions and guidlines that steer you in the right direction. The authors writing style is excellent.

A Masterpiece, 21 Jun 2007
Getting your performance measures right is vitally important to the
performance of your organisation and will mean the difference between
success and failure. All too often I see organisations drown in a sea of
useless measures (analysis paralysis) with no clear focus. Other
organisations see measures as something only the bean counters should do.

Providing a complete A-Z cookbook, this book sets the standard for any
organisation developing their performance measures and will soon be
recognised as the definitive work on this subject.

For anyone wanting to develop a new set of measures or simply overhaul the
existing set this book really is a must-read. If you only ever buy one book on performance measures - buy this one.

So so, 09 Oct 2007
The lack of structure is definately a problem, especially if this was your first exposure to Six Sigma. I bought it as a supporting reference manaual to some materials I had from a structured inhouse training course. As a supporting guide to other reference materials it does have some use.

OK, 24 Aug 2006
But no real structure to the book (not based upon DMAIC), and over simplistic sometimes, so you're not sure where the tools fit in sometimes.

A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

If you are implementing a KPI based reporting system buy this book, 06 Aug 2007
I read this book in order to get up to speed on KPI based reporting systems prior to implementing one. There are excellent suggestions and guidlines that steer you in the right direction. The authors writing style is excellent.

A Masterpiece, 21 Jun 2007
Getting your performance measures right is vitally important to the
performance of your organisation and will mean the difference between
success and failure. All too often I see organisations drown in a sea of
useless measures (analysis paralysis) with no clear focus. Other
organisations see measures as something only the bean counters should do.

Providing a complete A-Z cookbook, this book sets the standard for any
organisation developing their performance measures and will soon be
recognised as the definitive work on this subject.

For anyone wanting to develop a new set of measures or simply overhaul the
existing set this book really is a must-read. If you only ever buy one book on performance measures - buy this one.

So so, 09 Oct 2007
The lack of structure is definately a problem, especially if this was your first exposure to Six Sigma. I bought it as a supporting reference manaual to some materials I had from a structured inhouse training course. As a supporting guide to other reference materials it does have some use.

OK, 24 Aug 2006
But no real structure to the book (not based upon DMAIC), and over simplistic sometimes, so you're not sure where the tools fit in sometimes.

One of the best, 01 Oct 2008
One of the best overall references for lean. John has brought together a wealth of knowledge and common sense and created a great reference for anyone wanting to understand almost any aspect of lean, right up to date. The book is highly practical and a very good every day reference.

I also like the play on words 'New Lean' which supports current thinking in how lean needs to be expanded beyond tools into lean management or value systems.

All the theory of Lean in one book, 26 Mar 2008
John Bicheno has pulled together all the information on Lean together in this wonderful reference book. He gives all references and sources for further reading.

As of the 2004 edition I noticed some minor typos in the edition, but this should not stop you from buying what is likely to become a definitive Lean reference book for Lean practioners.

Case Study photographs of practical application of some of the techniques would only add to the value of a future edition.



Not a Toolbox but a Treasure Chest, 16 Mar 2008
The New Lean Toolbox is a great compilation and summary of all the lean approaches being deployed today. Bicheno ties together all these approaches in a framework that elevates the readers understanding of how lean works as an interlocking system of techniques not as isolated tools. It is a excellent companion and guide to the world of lean and it will lead to rich sources of deeper learning on its vast subject matter. It is a veritable lean in short hand book that is the best possible thesaurus /codex for any lean practitioner or novice alike.

THE NEW LEAN TOOLBOX, 24 Jan 2008
An excellent book. Very concise in explanations yet easy to understand. Well worth buying as a reference book that can help you explain to others what the tools are all about and jog your memory if you need to find a specific tool.

Takes Lean to new level, 28 Apr 2004
The "New" Lean Toolbox means just that this is not just an updated versionof the previous Lean toolbox but a different way to approach what is ineffect the Best Current Method of production.
Whilst the book does provide the same level of detail as the previous LeanToolbox, ie a good description of individual techiques and conceptsfollowed by references for the reader to further discover. The thoughtbehind the book is much more holistic in approach.
Namely the book postulates the combination of Theory of Constraints, Leanand Six Sigma and urges the reader to consider their production systemssolely with respect to customer wants and needs, using whatever tool orapproach is appropriate, even increasing WIP!
Another excellent book by Bicheno, this one will be well thumbed by manyproduction personnel. At least until his next one is published.

A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

If you are implementing a KPI based reporting system buy this book, 06 Aug 2007
I read this book in order to get up to speed on KPI based reporting systems prior to implementing one. There are excellent suggestions and guidlines that steer you in the right direction. The authors writing style is excellent.

A Masterpiece, 21 Jun 2007
Getting your performance measures right is vitally important to the
performance of your organisation and will mean the difference between
success and failure. All too often I see organisations drown in a sea of
useless measures (analysis paralysis) with no clear focus. Other
organisations see measures as something only the bean counters should do.

Providing a complete A-Z cookbook, this book sets the standard for any
organisation developing their performance measures and will soon be
recognised as the definitive work on this subject.

For anyone wanting to develop a new set of measures or simply overhaul the
existing set this book really is a must-read. If you only ever buy one book on performance measures - buy this one.

So so, 09 Oct 2007
The lack of structure is definately a problem, especially if this was your first exposure to Six Sigma. I bought it as a supporting reference manaual to some materials I had from a structured inhouse training course. As a supporting guide to other reference materials it does have some use.

OK, 24 Aug 2006
But no real structure to the book (not based upon DMAIC), and over simplistic sometimes, so you're not sure where the tools fit in sometimes.

One of the best, 01 Oct 2008
One of the best overall references for lean. John has brought together a wealth of knowledge and common sense and created a great reference for anyone wanting to understand almost any aspect of lean, right up to date. The book is highly practical and a very good every day reference.

I also like the play on words 'New Lean' which supports current thinking in how lean needs to be expanded beyond tools into lean management or value systems.

All the theory of Lean in one book, 26 Mar 2008
John Bicheno has pulled together all the information on Lean together in this wonderful reference book. He gives all references and sources for further reading.

As of the 2004 edition I noticed some minor typos in the edition, but this should not stop you from buying what is likely to become a definitive Lean reference book for Lean practioners.

Case Study photographs of practical application of some of the techniques would only add to the value of a future edition.



Not a Toolbox but a Treasure Chest, 16 Mar 2008
The New Lean Toolbox is a great compilation and summary of all the lean approaches being deployed today. Bicheno ties together all these approaches in a framework that elevates the readers understanding of how lean works as an interlocking system of techniques not as isolated tools. It is a excellent companion and guide to the world of lean and it will lead to rich sources of deeper learning on its vast subject matter. It is a veritable lean in short hand book that is the best possible thesaurus /codex for any lean practitioner or novice alike.

THE NEW LEAN TOOLBOX, 24 Jan 2008
An excellent book. Very concise in explanations yet easy to understand. Well worth buying as a reference book that can help you explain to others what the tools are all about and jog your memory if you need to find a specific tool.

Takes Lean to new level, 28 Apr 2004
The "New" Lean Toolbox means just that this is not just an updated versionof the previous Lean toolbox but a different way to approach what is ineffect the Best Current Method of production.
Whilst the book does provide the same level of detail as the previous LeanToolbox, ie a good description of individual techiques and conceptsfollowed by references for the reader to further discover. The thoughtbehind the book is much more holistic in approach.
Namely the book postulates the combination of Theory of Constraints, Leanand Six Sigma and urges the reader to consider their production systemssolely with respect to customer wants and needs, using whatever tool orapproach is appropriate, even increasing WIP!
Another excellent book by Bicheno, this one will be well thumbed by manyproduction personnel. At least until his next one is published.

Easy read and a good introduction to LSS, 31 Jul 2008
My qualifications for buying this book were:

I knew nothing about Lean
I knew nothing about Six Sigma
I was head of CMMI implementation for my dept and another neighbouring dept was taking Lean Six Sigma

So I bought the book and read it.

I now know enough about Lean Six Sigma to (a) tell the difference between Lean and Six Sigma (b) incorporate its requirements into my implementation plans (c) give a presentation to my dept on what the other department is doing and (d) enough to discuss LSS over lunch (pass an interview?) with LSS experts.

For me, the 17 Eur I paid at the airport and the few hours it took to read and make some notes were time and money well spent. The book is not enough to implement six sigma yourself, for that you need to spend a lot more but it is perfect for familiarising the novice. It is also, thank god, readable. Examples abound in the book, they're all a `bit American' but don't worry about that, the substance was spot on for me.


Now what? What can I do with it?, 09 Dec 2007
This book in nothing more than a set of articles about Lean Six Sigma implementation cases. It does not tell you much on how to implement it, how to approach real life problems, what tools to use in different situations. This is only a soft read to get acquainted with "Lean Six Sigma". If you are looking for something that can really help you applying these principles on your company/work choose another title for you'll consider this one useless.

Concise but a light read, 17 Aug 2007
Not a great deal of substance but it does give a useful perspective on combining Lean process thinking with Six Sigma's emphasis on quality.

An accelerated explanation of how to produce more and better results, in less time, and at a lower cost , 15 May 2007

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 Michael L. George, David 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).

Packed with Knowledge !, 18 Mar 2005
Six Sigma books often couch their wisdom in acronyms or jargon, or they offer vague, unfulfilling anecdotal narratives. This book is different. As trim, focused and efficient as if a Six Sigma team had designed it, it gets the job done. Its mission is simple: explain the basic structure of Lean Six Sigma initiatives to readers who are likely to become involved in one. While select case studies are judiciously sprinkled throughout, this is a meat-and-potatoes book that tells you what you need to know in clear, straightforward prose. Although the authors - Mike George, Dave Rowlands and Bill Kastle - humbly issue the caveat that this is not intended to be a comprehensive reference, its terse yet relevant style will probably make it one of those dog-eared volumes that barely gets back to the HR bookshelf before it's checked out again. Because of its plainspoken functionality, we recommend this manual strongly to anyone whose future may involve Lean Six Sigma.

A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

If you are implementing a KPI based reporting system buy this book, 06 Aug 2007
I read this book in order to get up to speed on KPI based reporting systems prior to implementing one. There are excellent suggestions and guidlines that steer you in the right direction. The authors writing style is excellent.

A Masterpiece, 21 Jun 2007
Getting your performance measures right is vitally important to the
performance of your organisation and will mean the difference between
success and failure. All too often I see organisations drown in a sea of
useless measures (analysis paralysis) with no clear focus. Other
organisations see measures as something only the bean counters should do.

Providing a complete A-Z cookbook, this book sets the standard for any
organisation developing their performance measures and will soon be
recognised as the definitive work on this subject.

For anyone wanting to develop a new set of measures or simply overhaul the
existing set this book really is a must-read. If you only ever buy one book on performance measures - buy this one.

So so, 09 Oct 2007
The lack of structure is definately a problem, especially if this was your first exposure to Six Sigma. I bought it as a supporting reference manaual to some materials I had from a structured inhouse training course. As a supporting guide to other reference materials it does have some use.

OK, 24 Aug 2006
But no real structure to the book (not based upon DMAIC), and over simplistic sometimes, so you're not sure where the tools fit in sometimes.

One of the best, 01 Oct 2008
One of the best overall references for lean. John has brought together a wealth of knowledge and common sense and created a great reference for anyone wanting to understand almost any aspect of lean, right up to date. The book is highly practical and a very good every day reference.

I also like the play on words 'New Lean' which supports current thinking in how lean needs to be expanded beyond tools into lean management or value systems.

All the theory of Lean in one book, 26 Mar 2008
John Bicheno has pulled together all the information on Lean together in this wonderful reference book. He gives all references and sources for further reading.

As of the 2004 edition I noticed some minor typos in the edition, but this should not stop you from buying what is likely to become a definitive Lean reference book for Lean practioners.

Case Study photographs of practical application of some of the techniques would only add to the value of a future edition.



Not a Toolbox but a Treasure Chest, 16 Mar 2008
The New Lean Toolbox is a great compilation and summary of all the lean approaches being deployed today. Bicheno ties together all these approaches in a framework that elevates the readers understanding of how lean works as an interlocking system of techniques not as isolated tools. It is a excellent companion and guide to the world of lean and it will lead to rich sources of deeper learning on its vast subject matter. It is a veritable lean in short hand book that is the best possible thesaurus /codex for any lean practitioner or novice alike.

THE NEW LEAN TOOLBOX, 24 Jan 2008
An excellent book. Very concise in explanations yet easy to understand. Well worth buying as a reference book that can help you explain to others what the tools are all about and jog your memory if you need to find a specific tool.

Takes Lean to new level, 28 Apr 2004
The "New" Lean Toolbox means just that this is not just an updated versionof the previous Lean toolbox but a different way to approach what is ineffect the Best Current Method of production.
Whilst the book does provide the same level of detail as the previous LeanToolbox, ie a good description of individual techiques and conceptsfollowed by references for the reader to further discover. The thoughtbehind the book is much more holistic in approach.
Namely the book postulates the combination of Theory of Constraints, Leanand Six Sigma and urges the reader to consider their production systemssolely with respect to customer wants and needs, using whatever tool orapproach is appropriate, even increasing WIP!
Another excellent book by Bicheno, this one will be well thumbed by manyproduction personnel. At least until his next one is published.

Easy read and a good introduction to LSS, 31 Jul 2008
My qualifications for buying this book were:

I knew nothing about Lean
I knew nothing about Six Sigma
I was head of CMMI implementation for my dept and another neighbouring dept was taking Lean Six Sigma

So I bought the book and read it.

I now know enough about Lean Six Sigma to (a) tell the difference between Lean and Six Sigma (b) incorporate its requirements into my implementation plans (c) give a presentation to my dept on what the other department is doing and (d) enough to discuss LSS over lunch (pass an interview?) with LSS experts.

For me, the 17 Eur I paid at the airport and the few hours it took to read and make some notes were time and money well spent. The book is not enough to implement six sigma yourself, for that you need to spend a lot more but it is perfect for familiarising the novice. It is also, thank god, readable. Examples abound in the book, they're all a `bit American' but don't worry about that, the substance was spot on for me.


Now what? What can I do with it?, 09 Dec 2007
This book in nothing more than a set of articles about Lean Six Sigma implementation cases. It does not tell you much on how to implement it, how to approach real life problems, what tools to use in different situations. This is only a soft read to get acquainted with "Lean Six Sigma". If you are looking for something that can really help you applying these principles on your company/work choose another title for you'll consider this one useless.

Concise but a light read, 17 Aug 2007
Not a great deal of substance but it does give a useful perspective on combining Lean process thinking with Six Sigma's emphasis on quality.

An accelerated explanation of how to produce more and better results, in less time, and at a lower cost , 15 May 2007

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 Michael L. George, David 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).

Packed with Knowledge !, 18 Mar 2005
Six Sigma books often couch their wisdom in acronyms or jargon, or they offer vague, unfulfilling anecdotal narratives. This book is different. As trim, focused and efficient as if a Six Sigma team had designed it, it gets the job done. Its mission is simple: explain the basic structure of Lean Six Sigma initiatives to readers who are likely to become involved in one. While select case studies are judiciously sprinkled throughout, this is a meat-and-potatoes book that tells you what you need to know in clear, straightforward prose. Although the authors - Mike George, Dave Rowlands and Bill Kastle - humbly issue the caveat that this is not intended to be a comprehensive reference, its terse yet relevant style will probably make it one of those dog-eared volumes that barely gets back to the HR bookshelf before it's checked out again. Because of its plainspoken functionality, we recommend this manual strongly to anyone whose future may involve Lean Six Sigma.

Simply the Best!, 27 Aug 2008
Edwards Deming's powerful book Out of the Crisis outlines a way to improve American manufacturing by encouraging management to plan for the future and foresee problems to eliminate waste of manpower, of materials and of machine time. Quality must be designed in.

Timeless ideas permeate this book. One of the major themes in the book is that quality must be built in at the design phase. I have seen numbers as high as 80% of the cost is driven in during the design phase.

Deming's 14 points and other ideas have permeated and morphed into many companies in the United States. Lean manufacturing, six-sigma, robust design and more can trace their roots to the work of Edwards Deming.

This book is extremely valuable to understand the historical roots of quality and lean thinking. It is equally valuable as a guide for any design and manufacturing company looking to improve in today's competitive world.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A management winner, 06 Aug 2002
Although it is many years since I first read "Out of the Crisis" and I have read management books voraciously, it remains for me the one which 'hits the button' most accurately. In a way it is an easy read, and in a way it is not. Dr Deming's approach is characterised by a combination of an unusual degree of rigour for a management book with an unusual degree of humanity. It is precisely this combination which makes it so uniquely valuable. Although many of the principles he puts forward are now accepted almost universally, the way they are put into practice is often lamentable and a re-reading of his penetrating work remains important. Other principles are still regarded as counter-intuitive. It is these which I find the most illuminating. The most useful role of this book is that it should provoke thought and study. So much popular management literature seems to advocate a quick simplistic 'fix'. Dr Deming specifically encourages us to study profoundly. Management simply IS difficult, which is why great managers are so rare. Dr Deming will not lead you astray.

Makes you want to build quality, thorough and enlightening, 03 Oct 2001
If you want to read how to turn round a company's fortunes through improving the processes within it, then read this.
Written way back when, but still as true as ever. Gets a bit heavy with statistics at the end, but worth sticking with.

A disappointing book, now dated., 28 Jun 2001
A thorough view of Deming's prescription for American industry in the 1980s. There are many examples simply explained which is good. However, the text is inevitably dated and in particular he makes much of control charts, 'x' and 'R' charts without any simple explanation of what they mean or how they are derived. The book " Four days with Dr Deming" looks much better in this respect.

A good quality management book, 23 Oct 2000
You must have got this book if you are a quality manager, if you are implementing ISO 9000 too. W. E. Deming write that there is now a theory of management for improvement of quality, productivity, and competitive position. His book explains good theories about management. I found this book very useful to know what are really quality control charts and other statistical tools.

A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

If you are implementing a KPI based reporting system buy this book, 06 Aug 2007
I read this book in order to get up to speed on KPI based reporting systems prior to implementing one. There are excellent suggestions and guidlines that steer you in the right direction. The authors writing style is excellent.

A Masterpiece, 21 Jun 2007
Getting your performance measures right is vitally important to the
performance of your organisation and will mean the difference between
success and failure. All too often I see organisations drown in a sea of
useless measures (analysis paralysis) with no clear focus. Other
organisations see measures as something only the bean counters should do.

Providing a complete A-Z cookbook, this book sets the standard for any
organisation developing their performance measures and will soon be
recognised as the definitive work on this subject.

For anyone wanting to develop a new set of measures or simply overhaul the
existing set this book really is a must-read. If you only ever buy one book on performance measures - buy this one.

So so, 09 Oct 2007
The lack of structure is definately a problem, especially if this was your first exposure to Six Sigma. I bought it as a supporting reference manaual to some materials I had from a structured inhouse training course. As a supporting guide to other reference materials it does have some use.

OK, 24 Aug 2006
But no real structure to the book (not based upon DMAIC), and over simplistic sometimes, so you're not sure where the tools fit in sometimes.

One of the best, 01 Oct 2008
One of the best overall references for lean. John has brought together a wealth of knowledge and common sense and created a great reference for anyone wanting to understand almost any aspect of lean, right up to date. The book is highly practical and a very good every day reference.

I also like the play on words 'New Lean' which supports current thinking in how lean needs to be expanded beyond tools into lean management or value systems.

All the theory of Lean in one book, 26 Mar 2008
John Bicheno has pulled together all the information on Lean together in this wonderful reference book. He gives all references and sources for further reading.

As of the 2004 edition I noticed some minor typos in the edition, but this should not stop you from buying what is likely to become a definitive Lean reference book for Lean practioners.

Case Study photographs of practical application of some of the techniques would only add to the value of a future edition.



Not a Toolbox but a Treasure Chest, 16 Mar 2008
The New Lean Toolbox is a great compilation and summary of all the lean approaches being deployed today. Bicheno ties together all these approaches in a framework that elevates the readers understanding of how lean works as an interlocking system of techniques not as isolated tools. It is a excellent companion and guide to the world of lean and it will lead to rich sources of deeper learning on its vast subject matter. It is a veritable lean in short hand book that is the best possible thesaurus /codex for any lean practitioner or novice alike.

THE NEW LEAN TOOLBOX, 24 Jan 2008
An excellent book. Very concise in explanations yet easy to understand. Well worth buying as a reference book that can help you explain to others what the tools are all about and jog your memory if you need to find a specific tool.

Takes Lean to new level, 28 Apr 2004
The "New" Lean Toolbox means just that this is not just an updated versionof the previous Lean toolbox but a different way to approach what is ineffect the Best Current Method of production.
Whilst the book does provide the same level of detail as the previous LeanToolbox, ie a good description of individual techiques and conceptsfollowed by references for the reader to further discover. The thoughtbehind the book is much more holistic in approach.
Namely the book postulates the combination of Theory of Constraints, Leanand Six Sigma and urges the reader to consider their production systemssolely with respect to customer wants and needs, using whatever tool orapproach is appropriate, even increasing WIP!
Another excellent book by Bicheno, this one will be well thumbed by manyproduction personnel. At least until his next one is published.

Easy read and a good introduction to LSS, 31 Jul 2008
My qualifications for buying this book were:

I knew nothing about Lean
I knew nothing about Six Sigma
I was head of CMMI implementation for my dept and another neighbouring dept was taking Lean Six Sigma

So I bought the book and read it.

I now know enough about Lean Six Sigma to (a) tell the difference between Lean and Six Sigma (b) incorporate its requirements into my implementation plans (c) give a presentation to my dept on what the other department is doing and (d) enough to discuss LSS over lunch (pass an interview?) with LSS experts.

For me, the 17 Eur I paid at the airport and the few hours it took to read and make some notes were time and money well spent. The book is not enough to implement six sigma yourself, for that you need to spend a lot more but it is perfect for familiarising the novice. It is also, thank god, readable. Examples abound in the book, they're all a `bit American' but don't worry about that, the substance was spot on for me.


Now what? What can I do with it?, 09 Dec 2007
This book in nothing more than a set of articles about Lean Six Sigma implementation cases. It does not tell you much on how to implement it, how to approach real life problems, what tools to use in different situations. This is only a soft read to get acquainted with "Lean Six Sigma". If you are looking for something that can really help you applying these principles on your company/work choose another title for you'll consider this one useless.

Concise but a light read, 17 Aug 2007
Not a great deal of substance but it does give a useful perspective on combining Lean process thinking with Six Sigma's emphasis on quality.

An accelerated explanation of how to produce more and better results, in less time, and at a lower cost , 15 May 2007

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 Michael L. George, David 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).

Packed with Knowledge !, 18 Mar 2005
Six Sigma books often couch their wisdom in acronyms or jargon, or they offer vague, unfulfilling anecdotal narratives. This book is different. As trim, focused and efficient as if a Six Sigma team had designed it, it gets the job done. Its mission is simple: explain the basic structure of Lean Six Sigma initiatives to readers who are likely to become involved in one. While select case studies are judiciously sprinkled throughout, this is a meat-and-potatoes book that tells you what you need to know in clear, straightforward prose. Although the authors - Mike George, Dave Rowlands and Bill Kastle - humbly issue the caveat that this is not intended to be a comprehensive reference, its terse yet relevant style will probably make it one of those dog-eared volumes that barely gets back to the HR bookshelf before it's checked out again. Because of its plainspoken functionality, we recommend this manual strongly to anyone whose future may involve Lean Six Sigma.

Simply the Best!, 27 Aug 2008
Edwards Deming's powerful book Out of the Crisis outlines a way to improve American manufacturing by encouraging management to plan for the future and foresee problems to eliminate waste of manpower, of materials and of machine time. Quality must be designed in.

Timeless ideas permeate this book. One of the major themes in the book is that quality must be built in at the design phase. I have seen numbers as high as 80% of the cost is driven in during the design phase.

Deming's 14 points and other ideas have permeated and morphed into many companies in the United States. Lean manufacturing, six-sigma, robust design and more can trace their roots to the work of Edwards Deming.

This book is extremely valuable to understand the historical roots of quality and lean thinking. It is equally valuable as a guide for any design and manufacturing company looking to improve in today's competitive world.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A management winner, 06 Aug 2002
Although it is many years since I first read "Out of the Crisis" and I have read management books voraciously, it remains for me the one which 'hits the button' most accurately. In a way it is an easy read, and in a way it is not. Dr Deming's approach is characterised by a combination of an unusual degree of rigour for a management book with an unusual degree of humanity. It is precisely this combination which makes it so uniquely valuable. Although many of the principles he puts forward are now accepted almost universally, the way they are put into practice is often lamentable and a re-reading of his penetrating work remains important. Other principles are still regarded as counter-intuitive. It is these which I find the most illuminating. The most useful role of this book is that it should provoke thought and study. So much popular management literature seems to advocate a quick simplistic 'fix'. Dr Deming specifically encourages us to study profoundly. Management simply IS difficult, which is why great managers are so rare. Dr Deming will not lead you astray.

Makes you want to build quality, thorough and enlightening, 03 Oct 2001
If you want to read how to turn round a company's fortunes through improving the processes within it, then read this.
Written way back when, but still as true as ever. Gets a bit heavy with statistics at the end, but worth sticking with.

A disappointing book, now dated., 28 Jun 2001
A thorough view of Deming's prescription for American industry in the 1980s. There are many examples simply explained which is good. However, the text is inevitably dated and in particular he makes much of control charts, 'x' and 'R' charts without any simple explanation of what they mean or how they are derived. The book " Four days with Dr Deming" looks much better in this respect.

A good quality management book, 23 Oct 2000
You must have got this book if you are a quality manager, if you are implementing ISO 9000 too. W. E. Deming write that there is now a theory of management for improvement of quality, productivity, and competitive position. His book explains good theories about management. I found this book very useful to know what are really quality control charts and other statistical tools.

a totally comprehensive and valuable academical work, 24 Aug 2001
Covers all important aspects of TQM. Avoids biasing to buzz programmes like Six Sigma, BPR and the likes. It was a very valuable reference to my academic study.

A fine guide to the principles of Quality Mangement, 20 Apr 2001
Reference books tend to be rather dry and as a result hard to read, however it was a great relief and surprize to find that this book is easily approachable and an entertaining read - as much as a textbook can. Even though it is almost 500 pages long the book is easily held and feels like it will survive quite a bit of handling.

The book covers a huge range of Quality mangement issues, from the Quality Gurus and their teachings, through Total Quality Management, to a large selection of the tools available to the Quality Professional, all of which are well illustrated with clearly drawn line diagrams. For those who require further information on any of the topics discussed in the book there is an extensive reference section at the end of each of the 23 chapters

The print is clear and well chosen to give a crisp easy to read text, even in the small print. Frequent sub-headings break the text into easily read sections - preventing pages of solid text taking over the book, and disheartening the reader from their task.

This is the third edition and I can see it remaining as one of my main reference books for years to come. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this book to anyone who requires a solid grounding in Quality Management.

A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

If you are implementing a KPI based reporting system buy this book, 06 Aug 2007
I read this book in order to get up to speed on KPI based reporting systems prior to implementing one. There are excellent suggestions and guidlines that steer you in the right direction. The authors writing style is excellent.

A Masterpiece, 21 Jun 2007
Getting your performance measures right is vitally important to the
performance of your organisation and will mean the difference between
success and failure. All too often I see organisations drown in a sea of
useless measures (analysis paralysis) with no clear focus. Other
organisations see measures as something only the bean counters should do.

Providing a complete A-Z cookbook, this book sets the standard for any
organisation developing their performance measures and will soon be
recognised as the definitive work on this subject.

For anyone wanting to develop a new set of measures or simply overhaul the
existing set this book really is a must-read. If you only ever buy one book on performance measures - buy this one.

So so, 09 Oct 2007
The lack of structure is definately a problem, especially if this was your first exposure to Six Sigma. I bought it as a supporting reference manaual to some materials I had from a structured inhouse training course. As a supporting guide to other reference materials it does have some use.

OK, 24 Aug 2006
But no real structure to the book (not based upon DMAIC), and over simplistic sometimes, so you're not sure where the tools fit in sometimes.

One of the best, 01 Oct 2008
One of the best overall references for lean. John has brought together a wealth of knowledge and common sense and created a great reference for anyone wanting to understand almost any aspect of lean, right up to date. The book is highly practical and a very good every day reference.

I also like the play on words 'New Lean' which supports current thinking in how lean needs to be expanded beyond tools into lean management or value systems.

All the theory of Lean in one book, 26 Mar 2008
John Bicheno has pulled together all the information on Lean together in this wonderful reference book. He gives all references and sources for further reading.

As of the 2004 edition I noticed some minor typos in the edition, but this should not stop you from buying what is likely to become a definitive Lean reference book for Lean practioners.

Case Study photographs of practical application of some of the techniques would only add to the value of a future edition.



Not a Toolbox but a Treasure Chest, 16 Mar 2008
The New Lean Toolbox is a great compilation and summary of all the lean approaches being deployed today. Bicheno ties together all these approaches in a framework that elevates the readers understanding of how lean works as an interlocking system of techniques not as isolated tools. It is a excellent companion and guide to the world of lean and it will lead to rich sources of deeper learning on its vast subject matter. It is a veritable lean in short hand book that is the best possible thesaurus /codex for any lean practitioner or novice alike.

THE NEW LEAN TOOLBOX, 24 Jan 2008
An excellent book. Very concise in explanations yet easy to understand. Well worth buying as a reference book that can help you explain to others what the tools are all about and jog your memory if you need to find a specific tool.

Takes Lean to new level, 28 Apr 2004
The "New" Lean Toolbox means just that this is not just an updated versionof the previous Lean toolbox but a different way to approach what is ineffect the Best Current Method of production.
Whilst the book does provide the same level of detail as the previous LeanToolbox, ie a good description of individual techiques and conceptsfollowed by references for the reader to further discover. The thoughtbehind the book is much more holistic in approach.
Namely the book postulates the combination of Theory of Constraints, Leanand Six Sigma and urges the reader to consider their production systemssolely with respect to customer wants and needs, using whatever tool orapproach is appropriate, even increasing WIP!
Another excellent book by Bicheno, this one will be well thumbed by manyproduction personnel. At least until his next one is published.

Easy read and a good introduction to LSS, 31 Jul 2008
My qualifications for buying this book were:

I knew nothing about Lean
I knew nothing about Six Sigma
I was head of CMMI implementation for my dept and another neighbouring dept was taking Lean Six Sigma

So I bought the book and read it.

I now know enough about Lean Six Sigma to (a) tell the difference between Lean and Six Sigma (b) incorporate its requirements into my implementation plans (c) give a presentation to my dept on what the other department is doing and (d) enough to discuss LSS over lunch (pass an interview?) with LSS experts.

For me, the 17 Eur I paid at the airport and the few hours it took to read and make some notes were time and money well spent. The book is not enough to implement six sigma yourself, for that you need to spend a lot more but it is perfect for familiarising the novice. It is also, thank god, readable. Examples abound in the book, they're all a `bit American' but don't worry about that, the substance was spot on for me.


Now what? What can I do with it?, 09 Dec 2007
This book in nothing more than a set of articles about Lean Six Sigma implementation cases. It does not tell you much on how to implement it, how to approach real life problems, what tools to use in different situations. This is only a soft read to get acquainted with "Lean Six Sigma". If you are looking for something that can really help you applying these principles on your company/work choose another title for you'll consider this one useless.

Concise but a light read, 17 Aug 2007
Not a great deal of substance but it does give a useful perspective on combining Lean process thinking with Six Sigma's emphasis on quality.

An accelerated explanation of how to produce more and better results, in less time, and at a lower cost , 15 May 2007

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 Michael L. George, David 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).

Packed with Knowledge !, 18 Mar 2005
Six Sigma books often couch their wisdom in acronyms or jargon, or they offer vague, unfulfilling anecdotal narratives. This book is different. As trim, focused and efficient as if a Six Sigma team had designed it, it gets the job done. Its mission is simple: explain the basic structure of Lean Six Sigma initiatives to readers who are likely to become involved in one. While select case studies are judiciously sprinkled throughout, this is a meat-and-potatoes book that tells you what you need to know in clear, straightforward prose. Although the authors - Mike George, Dave Rowlands and Bill Kastle - humbly issue the caveat that this is not intended to be a comprehensive reference, its terse yet relevant style will probably make it one of those dog-eared volumes that barely gets back to the HR bookshelf before it's checked out again. Because of its plainspoken functionality, we recommend this manual strongly to anyone whose future may involve Lean Six Sigma.

Simply the Best!, 27 Aug 2008
Edwards Deming's powerful book Out of the Crisis outlines a way to improve American manufacturing by encouraging management to plan for the future and foresee problems to eliminate waste of manpower, of materials and of machine time. Quality must be designed in.

Timeless ideas permeate this book. One of the major themes in the book is that quality must be built in at the design phase. I have seen numbers as high as 80% of the cost is driven in during the design phase.

Deming's 14 points and other ideas have permeated and morphed into many companies in the United States. Lean manufacturing, six-sigma, robust design and more can trace their roots to the work of Edwards Deming.

This book is extremely valuable to understand the historical roots of quality and lean thinking. It is equally valuable as a guide for any design and manufacturing company looking to improve in today's competitive world.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A management winner, 06 Aug 2002
Although it is many years since I first read "Out of the Crisis" and I have read management books voraciously, it remains for me the one which 'hits the button' most accurately. In a way it is an easy read, and in a way it is not. Dr Deming's approach is characterised by a combination of an unusual degree of rigour for a management book with an unusual degree of humanity. It is precisely this combination which makes it so uniquely valuable. Although many of the principles he puts forward are now accepted almost universally, the way they are put into practice is often lamentable and a re-reading of his penetrating work remains important. Other principles are still regarded as counter-intuitive. It is these which I find the most illuminating. The most useful role of this book is that it should provoke thought and study. So much popular management literature seems to advocate a quick simplistic 'fix'. Dr Deming specifically encourages us to study profoundly. Management simply IS difficult, which is why great managers are so rare. Dr Deming will not lead you astray.

Makes you want to build quality, thorough and enlightening, 03 Oct 2001
If you want to read how to turn round a company's fortunes through improving the processes within it, then read this.
Written way back when, but still as true as ever. Gets a bit heavy with statistics at the end, but worth sticking with.

A disappointing book, now dated., 28 Jun 2001
A thorough view of Deming's prescription for American industry in the 1980s. There are many examples simply explained which is good. However, the text is inevitably dated and in particular he makes much of control charts, 'x' and 'R' charts without any simple explanation of what they mean or how they are derived. The book " Four days with Dr Deming" looks much better in this respect.

A good quality management book, 23 Oct 2000
You must have got this book if you are a quality manager, if you are implementing ISO 9000 too. W. E. Deming write that there is now a theory of management for improvement of quality, productivity, and competitive position. His book explains good theories about management. I found this book very useful to know what are really quality control charts and other statistical tools.

a totally comprehensive and valuable academical work, 24 Aug 2001
Covers all important aspects of TQM. Avoids biasing to buzz programmes like Six Sigma, BPR and the likes. It was a very valuable reference to my academic study.

A fine guide to the principles of Quality Mangement, 20 Apr 2001
Reference books tend to be rather dry and as a result hard to read, however it was a great relief and surprize to find that this book is easily approachable and an entertaining read - as much as a textbook can. Even though it is almost 500 pages long the book is easily held and feels like it will survive quite a bit of handling.

The book covers a huge range of Quality mangement issues, from the Quality Gurus and their teachings, through Total Quality Management, to a large selection of the tools available to the Quality Professional, all of which are well illustrated with clearly drawn line diagrams. For those who require further information on any of the topics discussed in the book there is an extensive reference section at the end of each of the 23 chapters

The print is clear and well chosen to give a crisp easy to read text, even in the small print. Frequent sub-headings break the text into easily read sections - preventing pages of solid text taking over the book, and disheartening the reader from their task.

This is the third edition and I can see it remaining as one of my main reference books for years to come. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this book to anyone who requires a solid grounding in Quality Management.

Quo vadis?, 11 Apr 2007

For purposes of discussion, pretend that your organization is a vehicle within which you and your associates travel en route to a series of destinations; for example, various stages of progressively improved operational efficiency and progressively increased profitability. One key question arises: How well is your vehicle performing?

The three "dashboards" (i.e. operational, tactical, and strategic) that Wayne Eckerson offers in this volume can help to answer that question. "The monitoring application conveys critical information at a glance using timely and relevant data, usually with graphical elements; the analysis application lets users analyze and explore performance data across multiple dimensions and at different levels of detail to get at the root cause of problems and issues; the management application fosters communication among executives, managers, and staff and gives executives continuous feedback across a range of critical activities, enabling them to `steer' their organizations in the right direction."

The ultimate success of the cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective system which Eckerson discusses in this book depends on several factors: sufficient leadership and resources at all levels of implementation, correct and consistent application of the right metrics, a compelling graphical user interface, and contingency planning which ensures user adoption while driving the organizational changes.

I especially appreciate Eckerson's provision of three mini case studies that illustrate how -- in real-world situations - the three performance "dashboards" can achieve the desired objectives. Specifically, those that are operational (Quicken Loans, Inc., pages 127-141), those which are tactical (International Truck and Engine Corp., pages 143-158), and those which are strategic (Hewlett Packard Co., pages 159-177). I also appreciate the material provided in Part Three (Critical Success Factors: Tips from the Trenches) as Eckerson correlates various multilayered applications built on business intelligence and data integration infrastructure that enables any organization (regardless of size or nature) to measure, monitor, and manage business performance more effectively.

All executives recognize the importance of accurate and consistent measurement of what really matters. Obviously, the "what" varies (sometimes significantly) from one organization to another. In my opinion, the three performance "dashboards" that Eckerson recommends can be of substantial benefit, whatever the given "what" may be but if - and only if - the aforementioned success factors are present. To repeat, they are: sufficient leadership and resources at all levels of implementation, correct and consistent application of the right metrics, a compelling graphical user interface, and contingency planning which ensures user adoption while driving the organizational changes.

This book is by no means an "easy read" but it will generously reward those who absorb and digest its material with appropriate care. Then what? He fully understands how difficult it is to ensure adoption by others, and, to manage performance effectively throughout the given enterprise. In the final chapter, Eckerson notes that performance dashboards can easily backfire and cause performance to decline or stall instead of climb. He then identifies what he characterizes as eight cardinal sins " that can turn a performance dashboard into a performance quagmire." How to avoid them? Eckerson offers nine strategies to ensure adoption and eight strategies to manage performance.

I highly recommend this brilliant book as well as Dean Spitzer's Transforming Performance Measurement. Both are eminently worthy of thoughtful and rigorous consideration. However, that said, I also offer a caveat expressed by Peter Drucker in 1963: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all." Invoking again the "vehicle" metaphor introduced in the first paragraph of this brief commentary, I presume to suggest that if you and your companions don't know where you are going, "any road will get you there."

Worthwhile book on performance dashboards , 21 May 2006
This book provides an easy to read and wholesome foundation on the topic of performance dashboards. The views of the author and contributors are clearly based on practical experiences.

The material offers some excellent evangelistic and business case fodder, if that's where one is at. It contains plenty of practical advice to help organisations embark on new projects too.

This book is reasonably comprehensive and practical yet it makes the topic feel bigger and slightly more complex than it necessarily needs to be.

It's easy to see that well implemented dashboards provide a business intelligence framework that can expand with the business too. The material touches upon how effective dashboards have been implemented, which, when considered in fairness, indicates that the level of sophistication continues to be relatively mild given the sum of man years invested in the topic to date.






5 stars +! Must have if you're in Performance Management, 16 Jan 2006
I'm PMP (Project Management Professional), active in Performance Management for the last 6 years. My IT knowledge is about the average, I'm very confident in design sophisticated Excel files to sort and analyze Performance data. This is a type of book I was looking for a while! Help me to understand the IT side of managing Performance Management data. It is not an IT book, this means even non IT educated readers, like myself, can highly benefit of it.

I strongly reccomend this book to a variety of professionals for different reasons:
* to not so experienced Managers and Project Managers: it gives a great overview of how is possible to integrate IT in business/projects in order to take fully advantage of using accurate data, benefit actionable information, be results oriented. Also it shows how is possible to succesfully manage design and implement a Performance Dashboard project, and use it to empower people, stay on target, understand the big picture. This is an excellent start to understand how to deal with IT projects, and how to smartly use IT in taking right time decisions.
* to experienced Managers and Project Managers: a superb view of how to communicate better with IT, speak same language and design results oriented applications. The author presents very well how is possible try to balance and to compromise (and hopefully succeed!) the IT need of planning, and clear specifications, and management desire to have the final product in place over the night. Strongly hope the managers will better understand this process and they will learn it is worth while spend some more time with planning and testing, instead of waisting 10 times more later, in desperate attempts to catch up with changes, running around the clock and making last time improvements.
* for IT professionals: it might be a back on earth lesson. In a lot of companies IT is a tool to reach business objectives and not the ultimate goal. The people wich are not so IT skilled might be good some other places, and is nice they are like this. If IT experts will spend some more time with them, they finally might understand how can use IT applications in their advantage.

I will keep it as a future refference when I'll be in the position to design performance measurement databases, customize reports, plan data analyzis, join teams with IT experts. Thank you Wayne, this really helped me!

A workbook for Lean Six Sigma implementers, 22 Sep 2008
This is a fantastic workbook, which enables one to implement Lean Six Sigma for improving any service/transactional process.
Following the DMAIC structure i was able to sucessfully make significant improvements in process lead time.
A definte for any new starter.

Nearly 100 Tools For Improving, 26 Mar 2008
A really nice compact book with an open and easy style for quick reference on the key tools that help with Lean Six Sigma problem solving.

Lots of pictures and diagrams supporting explainations.

I would be happy recommend this to add to a belt's library as tool reference book in support training in a deployment.

Superb Toolbook for Reference!!, 31 May 2006
It is a great guide for Six Sigma, I bought it because I took quite a lot of lectures on different Six Sigma topics at University, but now that I'm working I needed to refresh my mind and this book has proven to be very handy in terms of reference. Now, half of my time is destined to Six Sigma Projects and this toolbook has helped me to keep the Six Sigma Structure when doing a project, as well as referring to different statistical tools which I might have forgotten. I would highly recommend this book if you have already a background knowledge of Six Sigma, but if you are just starting with this methodology I would advice to look for more in-deep books.

Definitive pocket guide, 22 Feb 2006
This is a small, but very handy reference that supports the other Lean Six Sigma (LSS) books from the George Group. It contains virtually all of the detail needed by a LSS practitioner (for Black Belts & Green Belts), but keeps an easy to digest style.

It scores over the other pocket guides on the market (there are many) because it is a 'proper' book (not a wire bound pad) and has an easy to read text size. The theory is filled out with simple examples.

It also maintains the balance between Lean and Six Sigma tools and provides the detail needed for both.

If you are implementing a KPI based reporting system buy this book, 06 Aug 2007
I read this book in order to get up to speed on KPI based reporting systems prior to implementing one. There are excellent suggestions and guidlines that steer you in the right direction. The authors writing style is excellent.

A Masterpiece, 21 Jun 2007
Getting your performance measures right is vitally important to the
performance of your organisation and will mean the difference between
success and failure. All too often I see organisations drown in a sea of
useless measures (analysis paralysis) with no clear focus. Other
organisations see measures as something only the bean counters should do.

Providing a complete A-Z cookbook, this book sets the standard for any
organisation developing their performance measures and