Reviews (6)

Inroads:A reality in software.
Book has lots of templates which are easy to use.The book is extremely practical and a "MUST" have for every software engineer.

Book Feedback
Excellent book with lots of templates and easy to understand text.Authors have done a great job.

Not as good as I hoped
Basic concept of book is that 'quality cannot be inspected in, it must be build in'.I did come away with some new ideas and some interesting points. However, I frequently found the book to be off the main theme.

New and practical view of software quality
Every time you buy a book that relates to quality you find the same ideas, interesting but how to carry them out?This book will help you to build a quality system that fits your organization. Good exaplantion about use ofchecklists, testing, and a new software quality paradigm.

Good insights on the New Paradigm. Detailedchecklists and
This is a must book for those who continuously find the same defects from release to release.The New Paradigmgives the readers the conceptsand implementation of "filters" that preventsdefects from going further in the development cycle.This book is notabout software testing or reviews but about Software Quality Assurance . It has overall concepts on the product assurance and process assurance activities that increases the robustness of a product.There are several books in the market on the subjects of inspectionsand testing.After reviewing several books, I found this is the only book that has taken the Deming principle of"defect containment" and shown the readers the effectiveness of the processes, if implemented correctly. ... Read more

Book Description

A New Resource for a New Kind of Leadership Whether you focus on the departmental level or on the top executive suite, the ability to transform groups of managers into effective management teams is critical to ongoing success. How can those team members ensure they're performing to their full potential? "Read [this handbook] once for enlightenment, then use it again and again to build teams that are truly high-performance." -- Don Howard, vice president of human resources, National Data Corporation You'll get what you need to:

* Identify the barriers to management teamwork
* Assess management team performance
* Face special circumstances, such as new team member selection . . . and much more!
You'll use the flexible Team Model, the scores of action steps, and the wide variety of assessment tools to help your teams achieve maximum performance. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A keeper
I would use this book if I were forming a new management team.

It provides an efficient, structured process for talking about real business issues over a period of weeks rather than hours. It easily be integrated into regular staff meetings or retreats. An executive or consultant could modify as needed to suit the situation.

I attended a seminar led by the author when the book first came out, and she knows her stuff. ... Read more

Book Description

Here's the quickest and most inexpensive way to learn about thepioneering work of Shigeo Shingo, co-creator (with Taiichi Ohno) ofJust-In-Time. It's an introductory book containing excerpts of five ofhis classic books as well as an excellent introduction by ProfessorRobinson. Learn about quick changeover, mistake-proofing (poka-yoke),non-stock production, and how to apply Shingo's "scientific thinkingmechanism." ... Read more

Book Description

This best-seller is now newly updated to reflect the changing environment in manufacturing organizations - including the changing roles of operators or line workers, the use of cross-functional teams to solve problems and the shift away from quality control departments and toward total quality management systems.

The formula that works so well for SPC Simplified has been untouched - it's still a hands-on manual with practice problems in each module. Written in clear language, it simplifies the essentials for monitoring, analyzing, and improving quality. No mathematical background is needed.

You'll learn how to set up and use variable control charts and attribute control charts, and how to analyze frequency histograms, machine and process capability. New sections cover such problem-solving tools as checksheets, flow charts, and scatter diagrams. The final module examines how the tools of SPC are used in organizations committed to TQM and continuous improvement. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

excellent book
this book has simple and good explanation method
the disscussed cases were understood easily.
there are no complex formules
based on simple mathematic

Makes SPC easy and accessible to anyone
SPC is one of the most powerful tools available to any organization or workgroup that wants to implement continuous improvement. Unfortunately, it is not widely used outside of manufacturing or companies that are committed to quality. One of the reasons is that is perceived to be difficult to learn. This wonderful book changes that by introducing statistical process controls in a clear, gentle manner.

The book is divided into modules, each of which builds upon the preceding one, and can be used as a training text or as a self-study guide. The first module covers the basics: causes of variation, tools (historgrams, control charts, variable and attribute charts).

Modules 3 and 4 go deeper into the tools, explaining why you would use them, how to use them and how to interpret them. This is the heart of the book.

Machine and process capability, the subject of module 5, can be applied beyond the shop floor. For example, I work as an information technology consultant and was able to apply the knowledge from this module to project estimation and controls, service level measurement and quality assurance processes. This information is also applicable to other areas and will be useful to anyone who works at a company registered as ISO-9000.

Module 5 covers all of the common quality problem-solving tools ranging from brainstorming to scatter diagrams. IT consultants and practitioners will find the sections on cause and effect diagrams and Pareto analysis useful for process improvement for defect identification and removal, and other related objectives.

Elements of a TQM system covered in module 8 may have been better placed in module 1, but it is thorough and a good starting point for anyone who is new to quality.

This book finishes with a module that provides the answers and solutions to practice problems from the preceding modules, which underscores its value as a class test or self-study guide.

I recommend this book to associates who either have never heard of SPC (and there are a lot of them) or think it is beyond their ability to grasp. It is impossible to have a viable, effective program of continuous improvement without SPC. The authors have done a remarkable job of writing a book that lives up to its title by simplifying SPC. As such they have made an important contribution to quality by making this effective tool available to anyone who will take the time to read the book and apply what they learn.

Practical guide that you can put into action right away.
SPC Simplified came along at just the right time. I needed help developing statistical analysis that I could interpret to upper management. I used this text to assist me in constructing my first run charts, variance analysis, error analysis, root cause analysis, brainstorming session and my first Process Cause and Effect Analysis. Great job. A good buy for anyone in Performance Improvement. ... Read more

Book Description

"The Valuation of Technology is a timely and thoughtful book on a critical issue in the global business arena. Peter Boer's insights constitute important reading for leaders in all fields."—Jeffrey E. Garten, Dean, Yale School of Management

"The Valuation of Technology fills a critical void for those executives who wish to upgrade technology decision making from an art to a more definable science."—George B. Rathmann, Chairman and CEO, ICOS Corporation

Technology valuation has replaced risk management as the management approach to analyzing the profitability of current and future technology projects. The Valuation of Technology: Business and Financial Issues in R&D explores the link between research and development and shareholder value in a comprehensive way, providing mathematical models for the valuation of R&D projects and answering critical questions on how to analyze technology initiatives and forecast their future value. This professional reference creates a common language for understanding the financial issues relating to R&D and provides analytical tools that businesspeople, scientists, and engineers can use to assess new technologies, R&D projects, and R&D budgets—thereby facilitating communication and producing more enlightened decisions. It also identifies several common fallacies in performing valuation of technology-based properties, including adding together enterprises with different time horizons and failing to recognize the value of risk-minimization strategies.

Among the many remarkable features of The Valuation of Technology:

• Offers quick, easy models for technology valuation that readers can use immediately
• Includes a method for the quantitative valuation of technology projects and shows readers how to build a project spreadsheet and assign value to research projects
• Comes with a disk containing templates for a selection of mathematical models provided in the book

Reviews (3)

Great book, but...
This is generally a great read. However, I find the quantitative examples in Chapter 6 very confusing to follow. In addition, as a financial analyst, I feel very insulted for being called "bean counter" numerous times in the book. The author should be more aware of this demeaning attitude he carelessly imbedded in this otherwise great book.

Critical Resource for Maximizing Value From Innovation, R&D
F. Peter Boer's Valuation of Technology is mandatory reading for every CEO, Head of R&D, and key investor who has heard it all when it comes to the importance of "innovating". But who despairs about the absence of fundamental tools for extracting new value from research-driven efforts in all parts of the corporation.

No longer- this is the missing corporate value creation toolset. Valuation of Technology fills the critical gap between value formulas and project-focused research management, in a way that makes a convincing case for future evolution of R&D as a total corporation value resource, not just another functional department.

A former top executive with W. R. Grace and now a professor at Yale (in addition to running his own corporation, Tiger Scientific, Inc.), Professor Boer combines a senior executive's sense of the right measures and analyses with an entrepreneur's enthusiasm and pragmatic curiosity. The author's impressive body of work also reflects his sensitivity to the key people and organizational issues that often spell the difference between exceptional new value creation and disappointment.

This a must read for all senior executives in technology
This is a great book, that for the first time, not only brings together the technology management and financial disciplines, but also highlights that often misunderstood cultural differences between these two disciplines that need to work together.

I liked the book so much, I bought 10 copies and distributed them throughout my organization. This is a well conceived book, that covers not only the nuances of technology and scientific discovery and management, and/or the rudimentary aspects of time value of money, but also covers more advanced concepts such as the optionality of R&D investments. ... Read more

Book Description

We live in a technological world, exposed to many risks and errors and the fear of death. Know the Risk shows us how we can learn from the many errors and tragic accidents which have plagued our developing technological world.

This breakthrough volume presents a new concept and theory that shows how errors can and should be analyzed so that learning and experience are accounted for. The authors show that, by using a universal learning curve, errors can be tracked and managed so that they are reduced to the smallest number possible.

The authors have devoted a number of years to gathering data, analyzing theories relating to error reduction, design improvement, management of errors and assignment of cause. The analyzed data relates to millions of errors. They find a common thread between all technology-related accidents and link all of these errors (from the headline stories to the everyday accidents). They challenge the reader to take a different look at the stream of threats, risks, dangers, statistics and errors by presenting a new perspective.

The book makes use of detailed illustrations and explores many headline accidents which highlight human weaknesses in harnessing and exploiting the technology we have developed; from the Titanic to Chernobyl, Bhopal to Concorde, the Mary Rose to the Paddington rail crash and examine errors over which we have little or no control. By analyzing the vast data society has collected, the authors show how the famous accidents and our everyday risks are related.

The authors prove the strength of their observations by comparing their findings to the recorded history of tragedies, disasters, accidents and incidents in chemical, airline, shipping, rail, automobile, nuclear, medical, industrial and manufacturing technologies. They also address the management of Quality and losses in production, the search for zero defects and the avoidance of personal risk and danger.

Stresses the importance of a learning environment for safety improvement

Places both quality and safety management in the same learning context

Learn how to track and manage errors to reduce as quickly as possible ... Read more

Book Description

In the post-Enron climate corporate executives are increasingly pressured to increase productivity and create an ethical, trustworthy organizational climate. 'Total Performance Scorecard' introduces a concept of organizational improvement and change management that combines the Balanced Scorecard model with the learning organization theory.

The TPS contains a personal balanced scorecard, which is tied to an organizational balanced scorecard. These scorecards reflect not only performance goals but personal learning and growth goals as well, and the organizational scorecards also address organizational climate issues. Continuous improvement, change management, 360 degree feedback, and the learning organization are theories that the TPS makes use of in a very straightforward way. If implemented, the TPS enables a company to tie personal goals to organizational goals and tie personal performance to organizational performance, all within a culture that supports integrity, personal growth, learning, and open communication. Nirvana!

* Links the personal scorecard to the organizational scorecard in a clear, straightforward way
* Addresses issues of personal ambition and growth within the context of corporate integrity and the learning organization
* Ties in several popular management concepts in one overarching concept ... Read more

Book Description

Both the 17025:1999 standard and especially ANSI/ISO/ASQ,9001-2000 standard require that a laboratory document its procedures for obtaining reliable results. The Laboratory Quality Assurance Manual details to the user how to a prepare a new laboratory quality assurance manual, which will be appropriate to use as a procedures manual for a particular laboratory, a sales tool to attract potential customers, a document that can be to answer regulatory questions, and ultimately a tool to become a registered ISO 9001/2000 Lab and gain related certifications based on the standard. The Laboratory Quality Assurance Manual:

-Incoporates changes to ANSI/ISO/ASQ 9001-2000 pertaining to laboratories.
-Provides blank forms used in preparing a quality manual.
-Provides information on the interrelationship of ANSI/ISO 17025:1999 and ANSI/ISO/ASQ 9001-2000. ... Read more

Book Description

This book describes an automated kanban system that integrates MRPII, kanban bar codes, and a simple version of electronic data interchange into a powerful system that substantially lowers inventory levels and significantly eliminates non-value-adding actions.

If you manage inventory, you probably use MRPII, a system based on a push method that embraces work and purchase order execution. MRPII helps you plan and integrate data relevant to your entire organization. But, when you have shifts in demand, you have to: 1) Realign and cancel hundreds of open manufacturing and purchase orders, and then 2) issue new orders.

Another system, kanban, is designed specifically to replenish inventory in just-in-time manufacturing. As consumption occurs, the kanban manual system triggers replenishment signals to the source of supply, so that both production and the supplier are constantly reacting to actual consumption. Compared to MRPII, kanban lowers inventory and minimizes shortages. But, the manual process of recalculating every part number by hand, and triggering replenishment by faxing or calling suppliers is time consuming, and non-value-adding.

Automating kanban by blending the planning strength of MRPII with manual kanban pull methods enhances your flexibility and competitive position.

MRP's forward projection capability is used to:

* recalculate kanban lot size.* perform a simulation to protect against non-linear demand.* inform production areas and suppliers of the anticipated demand levels for resource planning.* calculate staffing requirements for flexible work cells. This system:

* Automatically recalculates and triggers replenishment.* Integrates suppliers into the manufacturing loop.* Uses bar codes to enhance speed and accuracy of the receipt process.

Before moving in this direction, preparatory work is required. Work cells should be constructed with material located at the point of use. Container options and transportation methods need to be selected, kanban lot size calculations, and work cell staffing modules to develop. This book will help you deal with these and other topics. You will be able to take advantage of the author's expertise in the design, implementation and evaluation of these systems. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A true 'How-To'
The book and it's application principles are a definite must if you are serious about implementing 'Lean Manufacturing Principles ' and getting the best of two worlds' (MRP and Kanban). Even if you do not have an MRP system in place this book will deliver results immediately with true 'How To' reasoning. It is obvious that Mr Louis is actively working in the trenches and staying in touch with the 'World of Production' ... Read more

Book Description

High-tech products have historically had notoriously poor design. Fortunately, companies have recently started to embrace user-centered design practices. This transition hasn't been smooth; many companies have difficulty transferring good design into final, shippable product. There is a political/cultural disconnect between the outward corporate desire for good design and the internal corporate culture that implements it. The Simplicity Shift is about moving the company culture to value, discover and implement simplicity, and to create a well-designed product. For most companies, product design is not paramount; it is something locked into a "design department" and approached as a sub-task of the larger sequential process.For companies to truly create breakthrough, easy-to-use products, they must elevate design so that its terms and tools are shared by everyone in the team. Design is a strategic tool that thereby becomes a part of how every company employee thinks, acts--and most importantly--makes decisions.Product managers and professional designers will benefit from the tools and examples about making design work in a production company. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Top notch design booklet
This book contains twelve small chapters on the adequate design of technical devices, the design of good and foremost well usable "user interfaces". Each of these chapters is a fast read (maybe half an hour), but contains enough substance to fill an entire book of good quality.

It is always good to remind oneself in regular intervals, of what excellent quality means. This book helps you.

I read it from the perspective of a software developer. After reading this I now think, that I really do finally understand the importance of use cases (see Ivar Jacobson). Before I was reading a book by Kent Beck on Test Driven Development. Also here the Jenson Book sheds extra illumination. A test is a use of a program.

You might find the book expensive for so few pages. These pages are more than worth it.
... Read more

Book Description

Six Sigma has been a giant in the quality movement but has been a pygmy in improving field reliability, i.e., reducing failure rates for customers.Traditional reliability techniques are woefully inadequate and produce fictitious reliability numbers.

World Class Reliability, by contrast, presents a powerful technique to improve reliability by factors of 10:1 and even 100:1.It is Multiple Environment Overstress Tests (MEOST), used by NASA on its famous Lunar Module.Field failures that are found, traditionally, only after months of field exposure can now be "smoked out" in hours in the design laboratory and rapidly corrected; MEOST achieves this by combining several stresses and taking them beyond design stress very, very rapidly.

The result: fantastic reliability improvements; much reduced design cost, manpower, and cycle time; speed to market well ahead of competition; customer loyalty and dramatic profit enhancements for corporations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

QFD: Linking a Company with Its Customer
One of a few books on QFD thoroughly explains the steps in developing matrices of QFD: quality planning (house of quality), part deployment, process planning and production planning. An effective guide to develop QFD. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The next process is your customer
I select the above phrase as the review's title because it benefits me most. This phrase is very useful in manufacturing firm. If we follow this phrase tightly, we will be able to ensure the products' quality before reach to end-users.

Besides that, before implementing QC in Japan, Ishikawa analyzed the differences between QC activities in Japan and Western Countries and concluded it is due to each nation's unique social and cultural background. It gave me a hint that, in order to implement QC in an organization, the information about that organization's social and cultural background must at one's finger tips.

Ask yourself these questions:standards,quality,and fishbone
By reading this book you will learn more about what Kaoru Ishikawa has to say about standards, quality control, and the fishbone diagram. Ask yourself why industry uses standards? The answer is consumers may not be satisfied with a product, and the consumer requirements may change from year to year and that makes industrial standards hard to keep up with consumer requirements. While on the subject of asking questions than ask you what is quality control? According to Kaoru Ishikawa it's a system of production methods, which economically produces quality goods or services meeting the requirements of consumers. The last and final question to ask yourself is what would a fishbone diagram do for me? It would assist you in the identification and listing of all the possible causes that produce problems. ... Read more

Book Description

Today, companies capture and store tremendous amounts of information about every aspect of their business: their customers, partners, vendors, markets, and more. But with the rise in the quantity of information has come a corresponding decrease in its quality--a problem businesses recognize and are working feverishly to solve.
Enterprise Knowledge Management: The Data Quality Approach presents an easily adaptable methodology for defining, measuring, and improving data quality. Author David Loshin begins by presenting an economic framework for understanding the value of data quality, then proceeds to outline data quality rules and domain-and mapping-based approaches to consolidating enterprise knowledge. Written for both a managerial and a technical audience, this book will be indispensable to the growing number of companies committed to wresting every possible advantage from their vast stores of business information.

Key Features
* Expert advice from a highly successful data quality consultant
* The only book on data quality offering the business acumen to appeal to managers and the technical expertise to appeal to IT professionals
* Details the high costs of bad data and the options available to companies that want to transform mere data into true enterprise knowledge
* Presents conceptual and practical information complementing companies' interest in data warehousing, data mining, and knowledge discovery ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Its all in the Details
Most of the literature on Data Quality focuses on the challenges of creating and maintaining a data warehouse. Thankfully, for those of us trying to improve the integrity of the information in our OLTP databases, this book presents a methodology which is not specific to any one data environment.

This book is packed with lists of cases to consider for each step of the methodology. Each case is nicely documented. Actually, much of the book is taken filled with the documentation for each case, which may cause a person to lose sight of the methodology that is being presented.

I am person who prefers to learn concepts. I am not as interested in memorizing details. Hence, I would read this book, skipping most of the documentation in the lists, instead focusing on understanding the methodology. Thereafter, I would use this book as a reference when needing information on a particular step of the methodology.

Data Quality in the Real World
As a data warehouse practitioner for over 12 years, I was recently challenged at my current employer to help assemble a global data quality team and process. Having done much of the work before on a piecemeal basis, we made steady progress.

When I received my copy of "Enterprise Knowledge Management," I found two important things:
1. We were definitely on the right track, and
2. There were some things we had missed.

David Loshin has put together an excellent field guide to all aspects of data quality. It is very easy to understand, and contains practical, effective suggestions. Most importantly, it is a true "soup to nuts" guide to data quality. There is very little that you might need to improve your company's "knowledge quotient" that you will not find here.

I have heartily recommended this book to a number of people when asked about data warehousing and data quality. You'll not find a better handbook anywhere.

Management review
While I am not a technical person, this booked helped me enormously to understand the management issues that surround data quality. In today's world, I am shocked that more companies are not using this approach to save massive sums of money. This book has given me the tools to do so within my company. I highly recommend it!

Excellent Methodology!
I am a consultant in the area of knowledge management and data modeling, and I have read all the major books on the topic of data quality, and this book is, by far, the best treatement of the subject.

Enterprise Knowledge Management is a great handbook for both the manager and the practitioner - Loshin deals with the personal and political aspects of data ownership, buildingan ROI model for data cleansing, and a concise methodology about how to measure levels of data quality.

I have heard speeches by a handful of the major speakers in the area, and my impression is that they are willing to tell you to go and measure data quality, or to talk about data quality issues, but they would be hard-pressed to actually solve the problems. From reading this book, it is clear that Loshin is an expert in this area, and that he has not only dealt with the high level aspects of data management but also has experience in the trenches.

This book is perfect for both manager and technical people dealing with data warehousing or data migration projects.

Author's Comments
Poor data quality has a profound effect on our everyday lives - consider the 2000 Presidential election and the Florida recount nightmare. Yet, the extent of poor data quality can be effectively measured and therefore, controlled, when we apply process management, technology, and good old common sense!

"Bad data" has traditionally been masked in terms of curious anecdotes and curious stories that propagate through an organization. Yet, poor data quality has a serious effect on a company's bottom line, especially when bad data propagates out to the customer via incorrect billing, wrong delivery addresses, public relations nightmares, etc.

In my experience consulting on data management projects, I noticed many patterns associated with data quality problems. In this book, I try to address both the management issues as well as the technical issues associated with the different kinds of problems, and I try to provide a framework for capturing the knowledge embedded in data quality rules and managing those rules as enterprise knowledge.

I provide a breakdown of the dimensions of data quality, and delineate a framework for expressing data quality rules, measuring those rules, and assessing levels of data quality in a "Data Quality Scorecard." This scorecard can then be used as a benchmark and basis for a continuous information quality improvement program.

In addition, we look at how understanding the business rules associated with the use of information throughout an enterprise can enhance the overall value of the enterprise knowledge asset. Integrating business rules in use across the organization is an important step in enhancing the enterprise knowledge resource, and we have found this to be a successful paradigm in knowledge management applications deployed with our customers.

Data quality problems are widespread, menacing, and can cause serious operational and strategic problems in any organization. By reading my book, I hope to expose some of the critical issues associated with poor data quality and to demonstrate that by fixing the root of data quality problems, organizations can reduce costs due to error detection, correction, and rework, and increase profits by making strategic use of high quality information. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Extremely useful book with the emergence of BPM
This is a very useful book for anybody interested in designing and managing customer friendly services. The methodology that the author uses (unfortunately does not have a name) can easily be tweaked for manufacturing processes. With Business Process Management currenly gaining acceptance, this book would be a must. Specific comments include:

1. Content on simulation is basic. The reader must do some additional reading outside this book to really start doing useful simulations.
2. Replace flow charting conventions with more accepted and evolving conventions like IDEF, BPMN, UML 2.0 etc.
3. Content on measuring performance is also basic. A reader must probably read some additional books on Balanced Scorecard or Dynamic Balanced Scorecard.
4. Enhance these ideas with BPO related content.

Please note that most of my specific comments are developments that have happened or are happening after this book was published.

Leads the way towards effective service delivery
This book examines service processes from both the internal and customer's viewpoints, and provides a clear path to capturing, analyzing and integrating metrics from viewpoints. If you follow the design approach that the author proposes you will have baseline processes that are measurable and manageable. More importantly, you will have a process that is flexible enough to follow changing customer requirements and demands, as well as lending itself to continuous improvement

I like the comparison made early in the book between products and services and the emphasis on not only design of services, but delivery. These are reinforced by fictional case studies and examples that transform theory into practical steps.

In the section devoted to actual design of service processes the author uses quality function deployment (QFD), which is a powerful technique that has proven itself repeatedly since it was first used by Japanese shipbuilders in the mid-60s. In my opinion QFD is the best technique for capturing, assessing and managing requirements. Its key strengths are the ability to quickly perform a comparative analysis on the whats and hows, show correlations and trade-offs in a quantifiable manner, and superimpose a competitive analysis. The most important aspect of QFD, though, is that it captures the voice of the customer.

The author drills down into design concepts and introduces another powerful technique called the Pugh Method (named after Professor Stuart Pugh), which is a highly refined approach to evaluating design concepts and selecting the best concept from competing alternatives. While I had a great deal of experience with QFD, the Pugh Method was new to me and I have quickly added it to my collection of best practices and tools.

In the section on management and improvement the real work begins. Here the author thoroughly covers design implementation. This looks easy on paper - doing it is another thing and the advice offered is on the mark. Measuring performance of the process (internal view) and assessing customer satisfaction (external view) are discussed in detail and quantitative methods are heavily employed. I thought the chapter on assessing customer satisfaction was among the best approaches I have come across. I also liked the chapter on improving service performance. This chapter shows you how to ensure continuous improvement of service delivery, which is key to staying one step ahead of customer demands.

I develop and implement information technology service support and delivery processes for a living. This book has influenced my thinking over the years and the approach has been successfully implemented within that environment. However, the approach can be applied to any service, which is evidenced by the examples and case studies that are used throughout the book, none of which have anything to do with information technology. This book is the first one I recommend to colleagues, and it has my highest recommendation for anyone who wants to develop and implement a truly customer-focused service process.

Old News
Rohit Ramaswamy has presented us with a dinosaur view of how to manage service processes. It reflects the old "inside-out" view of service management, which is now widely discredited by leading service managers. Hence the emphasis on widespread internal metrics and the operations orientation. True attention to service implies driving the company's service offering from the outside-in, and is keyed by customer satisfaction measurement rather than operational measures.

Invaluable
This is the only book in print today that deals specifically with service design. Dr. Ramaswamy explores this subject in great depth, providing tremendous detail and essentially opening the gates to those service companies that would like to emulate the fabled six sigma approach. Dr. Ramaswamy is a skilled communicator and academic, whose style leaves no stone unturned for any manager who is seriously interested in the subject of service design.

The definitive work on service design and improvement.
Back in the summer of 1995, I had the pleasure of reviewing two drafts of this book prior to its publication. The book has two primary strengths. First, it provides crystal-clear explanations of sophisticated techniques in the order in which they should be used for effective design and ongoing improvement of service processes. In this sense, the book is like a textbook, but it does not contain a problem set. Second, the book provides guidance to the practitioner in an "over-your-shoulder" style that approaches what it is like to have Dr. Ramaswamy consulting for you and sharing his methodology with you. I highly commend this book to you!

William J. Feuss, District Manager - Customer Value Strategy, AT&T Business Services ... Read more

Book Description

The quality audit, from initial request through planning, implementation, evaluation, reporting and follow-up is thoroughly presented in this step-by-step guide. The author explores each stage of the audit process from the point of view of the auditor and the client requesting the audit--with an in-depth focus on the special interests and needs of the organization being audited. Manager or engineers of quality control and quality assurance, auditors, and those in need of an auditor will find a straightforward comparison of the major national and international Quality System Standards, as well as a ``hands on'' explanation of both internal and external audit objectives. Administrative and technological aspects of the audit process are analyzed, and various types of working papers, documentation, and sampling plans are reviewed. It thoroughly covers the collection and analysis of audit data, the creation of reports, taking corrective action, and utilizing techniques for improving the audit process itself. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dry Reading
Like most books about quality control and quality assurance, this one is a sleeper, too. What is even more interesting is that an author could write a 300-page book about this subject! Dry as it is - and that may be no fault of the author - the book has some valuable ideas about auditing. The chapters are short and well organized, making it easier to find a good "stop-for-the day point." I'd suggest putting on a pot of coffee and giving it a shot. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Highly Recommended!
John Guaspari's instructive and amusing fable about "Quality" has been a favorite in the business world since it was first published in 1985. As it points out what to do and what not to do in the pursuit of quality and market share, the book illustrates the ups and downs of Punctuation, Inc., the mythical company founded by the inventor of punctuation. This thought-provoking and entertaining little book takes only an hour or two to read, but the author intends for its message to stick with you for a lifetime. We [...] recommend this book to executives, managers, customer-service employees and those who run their own businesses.

Excellent. The best introduction to quality available
This is a realy good, short and entertaining introduction to quality management. It takes 20 minutes to read, but capures 20years of experience

A quick read that makes us re-think our Quality initiatives!
A great book that educates on many of the misadventures of quality-enhancement efforts. Fun to read. ... Read more

Book Description

Get Your Projects Done on Time and on Budget!Project management is one of the hottest topics in business right now, and with good reason—over 2/3 of projects are completed behind schedule and over budget! What’s more, outside project management consultants can charge thousands of dollars for a mere consultation. Streetwise® Project Management is a thorough guide to project management for any business owner, department, or project manager. Unlike other introductory guides on the market which simplistically focus on the HR side of project management, Streetwise® Project Management covers key aspects such as:·Time management·Resource allocation·Quality control·Risk management·Controlling costs·Communications managementStreetwise® Project Management also explains project management methods, diagrams, software, evaluation, and review techniques—in an intelligent layperson’s style. Techniques for working with teams, conflict resolution, and negotiating office politics are also covered. Streetwise® Project Management will help you sidestep the issues that can potentially derail a project getting done on time and on budget.How to Launch a Project the Right Way·Determining your objective·Working with a project sponsor·Understanding time constraints·Writing project charters

Planning Smart·Determining project requirements·Balancing multiple projects·Developing a task list·Using time strategicallyProject Management Techniques·Program evaluation and review techniques·Critical Path Method·Critical Chain Project Management·Project management software ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great book for the novice project manager
A great book for the novice project manager and a good refresher course for those of us who are already doing it. There's more to project management than just drawing Gantt charts. This book touches all aspects of project management, shows you how to deal with the people, politics and risks of the job. This book is probably the best of the lower priced project management books. My only complaint is that this book has 3 inches of margins, but I still think this book would be a bargain at twice the cost. ... Read more

Book Description

This resource provides comprehensive knowledge of the quality field, emphasizing its usefulness in practice;including the Total Quality System (TQS), which assures continual improvement while implementing the policy established by upper management. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good book - can be found cheaper
New @ asq.org for less. Why is it so much higher here?

Useful and Good But ...
As other reviewers mentioned, Pyzdek can help you make it over the CQE exam hurdle. In fact it is probably helpful for those who wish to clear the CQM or CQT hurdles. It may aslo be a helpful supplament for Six-Sigma folks. The volume also serves competently as a handbook and reference. Importantly, it includes an adequate bibilography so that the reader can easily pursue more specialized or more fundamental soruces.

But ...

Neither the material nor the presentation distinguishes this book from its many competitors.

Too often the index enties have incorrect page numbers. In an age of computer automated indexing, mistakes of this kind really grate on a reader who expects more. Further, a quality handbook should set a better example!

OK - but just
I bought this book to prepare for the ASQ CQE exam.This was my primary reference book and I did pass the exam - so there must be some merit to this book.However, it is frustrating.My criticisms include:

- the index doesn't point to the right pages, making it very difficult to use (especially in an open book exam)
- some of the graphs have no labelling at all (Fig IV.28)
- some material is repeated (eg central limit theorem)

This book has some good stuff in it and is aimed at getting you through the CQE exam.It will also be useful for a practicing quality engineer.However, it is in many cases separate articles, procedures and discussions stuck together with little flow.A good review and editing would do a lot for this book.

A concise study book for taking and passing the CQE test.
This book has just the right amount of pictures and charts to balance the text.I wanted a study book that would be used as a day to day reference and something that I could use during my CQE test to "jog" my memory.The numerous graphs help me to answer generic SPC problems better than all that verbage found in other "helpful texts". ... Read more