THE BRIEFCASE BOOKS SERIES Now translated into nine languages! This reader-friendly, icon-rich series is must reading for all managers at every level. All managers, whether brand new to their positions or well established in the corporate hierarchy, can use a little "brushing up" now and then. The skills-based Briefcase Books series is filled with ideas and strategies to help managers become more capable, efficient, effective, and valuable to their corporations. Six Sigma one of the hottest topics in today's manufacturing circles is a statistical concept that characterizes nearly zero defects in any process. But its successful implementation involves a whole new set of management practices. Six Sigma for Managers will help managers better understand this concept and how to facilitate the learning, cooperation, skills improvement, and commitment required to make Six Sigma processes a reality in any organization.

Table of Contents:
Preface 1. What Is Six Sigma? * Six Sigma Defined And Explained * Essential Of The Six Sigma Methodology * Focus On Engaging People And Changing Processes * Not Just Statistics, But Cultural Changes * Six Sigma Applied * What Six Sigma Is Not * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 1 2. Why Do Six Sigma? * Money * Customer Satisfaction * Quality * Impact On Employees * Growth * Competitive Advantages * Are You And Your Company Ready? * The Correlation Between Quality And Cost * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 2 3. Setting Business Metrics * A Little Statistics * Criteria For Business Metrics * What Is The Cost Of Poor Quality? * Financial Linkage Of Metrics And Results * Keeping Your Process Capability * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 3 4. Implementing Six Sigma * Getting Started: The Do's * Getting Started: The Don'ts * Readying The Organization * Planning * What To Expect From Outside Consultants * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 4 5. Roles And Responsibilities * Key Players * Executive Leaders * Champions * Master Black Belt * Black Belts * Green Belts * Selecting Black Belts * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 5 6. The Core Of Six Sigma * The DMAIC Method * D-Define Phase * M-Measure Phase * A-Analyze Phase * I-Improve Phase * C-Control Phase * The Power And Discipline Of The Sequence * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 6 7. Quick Review Of Six Sigma Tools * Management Roles * Warm-Up Tools * Key Tool # 1: Process Mapping * Key Tool # 2: XV Matrics * Key Tool # 3 : Measurement Systems Analysis * Key Tool # 4 : Process Capability Tool * Key Tool # 5 : Multivariate Study * Key Tool # 6 : Hypothesis Testing * Key Tool # 7 : Failure Mode Effect Analysis * Key Tool # 8 : Design Of Experiments * Key Tool # 9 : Control Plan * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 7 8. Selecting Six Sigma Projects * Project Criteria * Defect Project Selection Opportunities * Pareto Selection Method * Good Vs. Bad Project * Successful Project Characteristics * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 8 9. How To Sustain Six Sigma * Basic Infrastructure Requirements * Communication Plan * Company Culture * Signs Of Success * Company Cycles * Reinforcement And Control * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 9 10. Six Sigma Proof Positive * Real Final Reports * Case Studies * Training Agendas * Job Descriptions * Design For Six Sigma * The End... And The Beginning * Manager's Checklist For Chapter 10 Index