Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read
Review: Anybody in business needs to read this book. It provides a practical approach to driving value in your business. Not only does it give you the "how to" on implementing improvements, it's a very interesting read.
Rating:
Summary: Review from Dave Burritt, Caterpillar Inc.
Review: At Caterpillar, we require that Lean Manufacturing tools be embedded within our 6 Sigma methodology. 6 Sigma provides the overarching infrastructure,and we supplement its quality methods with the Lean tools to accelerate process velocity. We have worked with Mike George throughout our deployment and have read the drafts of this book while it was in preparation. With the help of Lean Manufacturing enrichment modules from George Group, we have been able to fully integrate Lean with 6 Sigma as our Unifying Framework. 6 Sigma and Lean are great complements for driving process excellence. Mike's book, Lean Six Sigma is a detailed and proven implementation approach. It's an outstanding book and a must read for anyone committing to improving corporate performance.Dave Burritt
6 Sigma Corporate Champion
Caterpillar Inc.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't ignore Six Sigma - it may save your company
Review: Don't let a luke-warm review of this book distract you from the value of Six Sigma, which I'll presume that you are at least interested in. I'll try and save you some time. CEO
If you are a CEO, and have not yet been adequately introduced to Six Sigma, I recommend first purchasing "The Power of Six Sigma" (ISBN 0793144345, also available in audio CD). Once complete, consider purchasing this book ("Lean Six Sigma"). Read at least the first three chapters, which focus on contributions to the bottom line. If hooked, continue. "The Power of Six Sigma" gives an overview, and the first section of Michael George's book illustrates why this is important to you. Grunt
If your are "in the trenches," follow the above steps, but focus on chapters 10 and 15 of "Lean Six Sigma." Between you and I, the most compelling parts of Michael George's book was the second covering the DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) process (chap. 10), also available many places on the web, and the very last chapter, where the author talks about how Six Sigma applies in the product development world (chap. 15, which I found fascinating). Don't get me wrong. I am a big fan of the Six Sigma methodology, but was often times quite frustrated by this book. When I wanted more detail on tools within the Six Sigma framework I found myself completing the Yellow Belt course through Moresteam.com. This book simply does not cover the tools within the DMAIC framework in a level of detail I consider adequate. Many times I found myself laughing because I am not in fact the CEO of this company. She has already committed to Six Sigma, and we therefore have little choice. After getting into the meat of the methodology, even after early involvement in TQM and other efforts, I am quite impressed with this latest evolution.
Rating:
Summary: Don't ignore Six Sigma - it may save your company
Review: Don't let a luke-warm review of this book distract you from the value of Six Sigma, which I'll presume that you are at least interested in. I'll try and save you some time. CEO
If you are a CEO, and have not yet been adequately introduced to Six Sigma, I recommend first purchasing "The Power of Six Sigma" (ISBN 0793144345, also available in audio CD). Once complete, consider purchasing this book ("Lean Six Sigma"). Read at least the first three chapters, which focus on contributions to the bottom line. If hooked, continue. "The Power of Six Sigma" gives an overview, and the first section of Michael George's book illustrates why this is important to you. Grunt
If your are "in the trenches," follow the above steps, but focus on chapters 10 and 15 of "Lean Six Sigma." Between you and I, the most compelling parts of Michael George's book was the second covering the DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) process (chap. 10), also available many places on the web, and the very last chapter, where the author talks about how Six Sigma applies in the product development world (chap. 15, which I found fascinating). Don't get me wrong. I am a big fan of the Six Sigma methodology, but was often times quite frustrated by this book. When I wanted more detail on tools within the Six Sigma framework I found myself completing the Yellow Belt course through Moresteam.com. This book simply does not cover the tools within the DMAIC framework in a level of detail I consider adequate. Many times I found myself laughing because I am not in fact the CEO of this company. She has already committed to Six Sigma, and we therefore have little choice. After getting into the meat of the methodology, even after early involvement in TQM and other efforts, I am quite impressed with this latest evolution.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Book
Review: I truly enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Lean or Six Sigma. Well worth the money!!
Rating:
Summary: Authors response to Herr Breuer of Darmstadt
Review: I will cover Herr. Breuer's objections in order
(1)In the book I refer to EVA% not EVA $. The EVA%=ROIC%-WACC% =Economic Profit % as is shown on the graph on page 12. I did note that thatthe % signs are absent from the right hand side of the equation and this will be corrected in the next printing, and may have misled Mr. Breuer.
(2)I know George Stalk well and admire his work as well as the systems dynamics of Jay Forrester. Our conclusions are notjust based on models, but real world data (see page 10). I provided a reference for those who wish to study "truly scientific solutions" on page on page 60 which provide the mathematical derivation which provides model that goes far beyond Forrester.
(3)The book is written to appeal to the thousands who must comprehend and apply and thus was edited by others to achieve this goal. I would suggest that the comments of Caterpillar, ITT and Johns Manville's CEO would indicate that it has achieved this goal. Herr Breuer represents a minority for whom the book is not written.
(4)Herr Breuer may read my technical papers and patents which doubtless will more to his taste but are of no value to the process of gaining adherents and making a significant improvment in ROIC%.
(5) I do not recall placing a label "scientific" on the book. Readers have universally said it is effective, and that is its goal.
Rating: 
Summary: Dissatisfied
Review: If you are seeking substance and wish to learn, there are other products that better serve that purpose.
If you are interested in improving operations through Lean/6 sigma and have little or no concept of what is involved, this book may provide an adequate overview. In my opinion, however, the overview would be more effective if the book didn't try to keep putting it's foot in the door
Rating: 
Summary: Six Sigma collides with Lean
Review: If you're a lean advocate or a manufacturing person, this book is a must read. It nicely melds six sigma's and lean's philosophies. If you're not, you're much better off reading The Six Sigma Way by Pande, Neuman, and Cavanagh.
Rating:
Summary: A Helpful Guide and Reference
Review: Lean Six Sigma: Combining Six Sigma with Lean Speed
By Michael George This latest book by Michael George has been an extremely helpful guide and reference for our implementation team members and myself. For seven years we have been in the most critical part of our journey toward a Lean Enterprise. An enterprise where the management system includes the principles of total quality, variation management, value creation, and just-in-time production. I have been recommending Michael George's book to freshman implementers and company executives to help them deal with the perceived dilemma many are experiencing. Do they pursue 'Lean' or do they pursue 'Six Sigma Quality'? And of course the answer is 'yes'. The rush to operational productivity in the last decade has distilled many of the key components and techniques of a 'Lean Enterprise' and marketed them as a complete 'Lean Manufacturing' recipe. Unfortunately this selective design has resulted in diluted capabilities and mediocre results for most. The same is true for those who solely depend on managing by constraints or reducing variation incrementally as their core activity. What Michael George offers in his book is a straightforward and field-tested approach for bringing the critical pieces of the 'Lean/JIT' business model, metrics, and leadership behaviors back into perspective. A perspective that helps either the new implementer or the experienced implementer clear up this perceived dilemma. Michael George says the purpose of the book is to show that the combination of Lean and Six Sigma - when focused on the highest-value projects... can produce remarkable results... This is his simple straightforward message that no one else recently has bothered to tackle. Don A. Blake, Director
Boeing Production System Implementation
Quality & Process Improvement Dept.
Boeing Wichita Division
Rating:
Summary: This Book is for those who Want To Get It Done
Review: Micheal George is by far one of the world's authorities on Lean Six Sigma, and this book goes beyond the point of proving this. Lean and Six Sigma are naturally drawn together, and Micheal George is able to articulate this in a way that we can all understand. If you want an academic exercise on Lean or Six Sigma, then call the author directly and I'm sure he can provide a solid few hours of conversation and mentoring. However, if you are an industry practitioner, with a busy schedule, and want a playbook...then buy Lean Six Sigma and follow along chapter by chapter. This is a great book. It is a book about how to get it done. It is a book about action !
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