2012
QP REVIEWS
Smart Teaching
Ronald J. Fitzgerald, ASQ Quality Press, 2005, 132 pp., $30 member, $50 list (book and CD-ROM).
Smart Teaching: Using Brain Re-search To Continuously Improve Learning, with its accompanying CD-ROM, is a primary resource in the teaching-learning system and is useful for applications beyond K-12 classrooms. Fitzgerald focuses on two primary themes: planning and delivery based on the plan-do-check-act methodology and styles of teaching-learning activity based on human brain theory. This book is designed as a resource for use in a group learning and teaching settings.
Fitzgerald opens the book by giving directions on using the systems approach to achieve defined outcomes. The book is a teacher’s manual because it guides the reader through the design and implementation of teaching to deliver results.
The book is also a learner’s resource with a twist. Since the learner has access to the book, the CD-ROM and user’s instructions, the student is in a position to become the teacher. This book lends itself to the each-one-teach-one philosophy.
The book’s content is sound; however, it lacks detail on multi-brain, cognitive and learning theory. It is important to note the book is not offered as a research based scholarly treatise on learning theory, but providing a theory based background is of value.
The most value is found in sections dealing with outcome measures, management of data and measuring continuous improvement. The procedures offered are usable in most teaching-learning settings—including adult education. The book provides checklists, useful in implementating the teaching systems proposed.
Gerald Brong
Ellensburg, WA
Elementary Statistical Quality Control
John T. Burr, Marcel Dekker, 2005, 480 pp., $99.95 (book).
The second edition of Elementary Statistical Quality Control illustrates fundamental principles and practices in statistical quality control (SQC) for improved quality, reliability and productivity in the management of production processes and industrial business operations. The book presents key concepts of SQC in a simple and straightforward manner.
Burr moves from elementary topics to sampling
by variables, sound tolerancing and relationships between
variables. He includes updated dis-
cussions on methods to establish realistic specifications,
acceptance sampling and procedures for control charting. He also
considers management models currently used in industry, including
total quality manage-
ment and the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award
criteria.
Burr’s intent is to keep intact much of the original work of his father, Irving Wingate Burr. But in this book he adds appropriate discussions on process capability, establishment of realistic specifications, cautions against the blind use of acceptance sampling and the introduction of additional methods of statistical control charting. Burr also has his father’s well-known talent for simplifying the difficult and illustrating concepts with real examples from the manufacturing and service industries.
The material is well organized and clearly presented, making this a solid choice for college classes that introduce students to SQC. The handy appendix includes a Z table, poisson distribution, control chart constants for averages, standard deviations and ranges, and a table of random numbers and single sample tests. There are also answers to the odd numbered problems at the end of each chapter. I highly recommend this book for any college SQC class, especially if it follows a class on fundamental statistics.
Dale Farris
Groves, TX
Applied Statistics for the Six Sigma Green Belt
Bhisham C. Gupta and H. Fred Walker, ASQ Quality Press, 2005, 368 pp., $51 member, $85 list (book).
Gupta and Walker state in the preface of Applied Statistics for the Six Sigma Green Belt that the book is mainly a desk reference and instructional aid that will provide an application and example based discussion on concepts and statistics for the Six Sigma Green Belt (GB). Black Belts aren’t excluded from this book.
The book begins by setting the context for Six Sigma and then jumps right into statistics and data. The text flows seamlessly into how to describe data both graphically and numerically. Here the authors lay the foundation for sections to follow on point and interval estimation and hypothesis testing.
The chapters covering the probability distributions were somewhat sluggish and do not make for easy reading. However, there is a need to teach the underlying concepts of probability and probability distributions. The final chapter addresses the use of statistical software to complete statistical analyses, and the authors do an admirable job of walking the reader through examples using Minitab and JMP software applications.
This book is definitely an excellent desk reference for the practicing GB. Gupta and Walker’s approach is unquestionably one of application and examples, evidenced by the 163 figures and 30 tables. The authors present a full circle of concepts from the written example to translation to statistical software.
Kunita R. Gear
Six Sigma Master Black Belt
St. Louis, MO
Axiomatic Quality
Basem Said El-Haik, Wiley-Interscience, 2005, 312 pp., $89.95 (book).
Axiomatic Quality: Integrating Axio-matic Design With Six Sigma, Reli-ability and Quality Engineering combines axiomatic design, Robust Design and design for Six Sigma (DFSS). It provides a roadmap for a designer, manager or anyone interested in the latest advanced methods in achieving ultimate quality and reliability of designed products and processes.
This book describes how to use design axioms and Robust Design processes to achieve DFSS. It also provides derivation and examples so achieving the minimized information content measure is the same as the traditional quality measure of minimizing the variance of a parameter.
The implementation of DFSS is based on a series of mappings. In each mapping, the quantitative parameters are identified. The transfer function is critical to allow the tenet of applying the design axioms and Robust Design concepts and techniques. In other words, design axioms and the Robust Designs are the means to the end of achieving DFSS.
A lot of concepts are expressed in mathematical formulas and reasoning through mathematical derivations. Some severe typos and unattractive formulas hinder understanding for more serious readers.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the most advanced concepts and techniques to improve the design of their products and processes to the Six Sigma level.
Shin Ta Liu
Lynx Systems
San Diego, CA
Automotive Quality Systems Handbook
David Hoyle, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005, 712 pp., $69.05 (book).
The second edition of Automotive Quality Systems Handbook, ISO/TS 16949:2002 is twice as good as the first edition, which was based on ISO/TS 16949:1999. I have personally used the first edition to implement the new TS 16949:2002 standard and found it difficult to align the element structure of the book to the new eight section approach of ISO 9001:2000. The second edition is a complete rewrite and structured to ISO 9001 sections.
The first three chapters alone are worth the cost of this book. They explain the process approach in terms easily understood and applied to any quality management system. Hoyle is very critical and honest in his assessment of ISO standards and their validity in improving quality. Whether or not you agree with him, the book will stimulate thinking. Hoyle is well qualified to voice his opinion with more than 30 years experience in quality. He also has participated in the development of the ISO/TS 16949 certification scheme.
The real thrust of the book is how to implement the ISO/TS 16949 standard, and here is where Hoyle takes a new approach. Authors of other books about implementing standards only regurgitate the standards and define the rules of implementation. Hoyle uses a direct style of writing and refers to the reader in the second person. He also explains each requirement of the standard by answering three basics questions: what does it mean, why is it important and how is it implemented. The book provides plenty of diagrams and figures.
This book is a must have for any company, whether it is to implement TS 16949:2002 or improve an already registered ISO 9001 quality management system. It is a guaranteed reference handbook to be used over and over again.
Wayne Sander
Consultant/Engineer
Dousman, WI
RECENT RELEASES
- Inside the Mind of Toyota: Management Principles for Enduring Growth, Satoshi Hino, Productivity Press, 2006, 327 pp., $50 (book).
- The Principal’s Leadership Counts! Launch a Baldrige Based Quality School, Margaret A. Byrnes with Jeanne C. Baxter, ASQ Quality Press, 2006, 220 pp., $30 member, $50 list (book).
- 5S for Service Organizations and Offices: A Lean Look at Improvements, Debashis Sarkar, ASQ Quality Press, 2006, 144 pp., $27 member, $45 list (book and CD-ROM).
