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<p>Introduction Striving for Perfection in an Imperfect World 1</p> <p>Chapter 1 The Meaning of Six Sigma 5</p> <p>Chapter 2 The Customer's Point of View 31</p> <p>Chapter 3 Outside-In Thinking 61</p> <p>Chapter 4 The Nature of Quality 91</p> <p>Chapter 5 Product and Service Defects 117</p> <p>Chapter 6 Improving Process Systems 139</p> <p>Chapter 7 Striving for Consistency 165</p> <p>Chapter 8 Exceptions and Rules 185</p> <p>Glossary 205</p> <p>Notes 209</p> <p>Index 211</p>

<p><b>MICHAEL C. THOMSETT</b> is a financial writer who has written more than sixty books on investing, real estate, business, and management topics. He is the author of several Wiley books including the successful Getting Started in Options, now in its sixth edition. Thomsett has written extensively on quality control and quality assurance topics, and has had over 500 articles published in business, trade, and professional journals. Prior to his writing career, Thomsett was a professional accountant and systems consultant.

<p><b>A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO GETTING STARTED IN</b> <p><b>SIX SIGMA</b> <p>Six Sigma in many organizations simply means defining and measuring quality; a working system designed to identify that elusive goal, perfection. Companies such as GE, Microsoft, and 3M have used this approach to eliminate product defects, reduce cycle time, and improve customer satisfaction. Six Sigma may sound intimidating, but the fact is that you don't have to be a high-level executive at a giant corporation to use—or understand—this concept. It is simply a way of improving quality. <p>Getting Started in Six Sigma is designed to show you, step by step, how Six Sigma works and how it can be used most effectively. Whether you're a manager trying to change your approach to problem solving or an employee in a corporation with a Six Sigma program, this book will clearly lead you through each step of the process. Definitions within the margins—placed at points of discussion—will help you to quickly master Six Sigma terminology as you read along. <p>In a straightforward and accessible style, Getting Started in Six Sigma will familiarize you with: <ul> <li>The real meaning of Six Sigma—technical and philosophical</b></li> <li>The importance of both internal and external customers</b></li> <li>DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)—the tactical approach to Six Sigma projects</b></li> <li>Product and service defects and how to reduce them</b></li> <li>Effectively improving process systems</b></li> <li>Striving for consistency</b></li> </ul> <p>Filled with numerous examples, checklists, and graphics, Getting Started in Six Sigma will help you gain a firm understanding of the topic and illustrate how this idea can make any organization function better.

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