Book Reviews: Lean Mastery by Michael Craig

Happy Monday, everyone! It’s the start of a new week and, in a few days, the start of a new month. I must apologize for the long absence. Editing, beta reading, my master’s dissertation, it’s all caught up to me past the couple months, some of which I’ll be sharing with you in upcoming posts. First, however, I want to bring you a new book review, this time for a how-to guide called Lean Mastery: A Study Guide for Lean Six Sigma, Scrum, Kanban and Agile Management (Inc. Certification Training for White, Green, Yellow and Black Belts with 300 Test Questions and Answers) by Michael Craig.

Lean Mastery is a beginner’s guide to Lean Six Sigma, a statistics- and analytics-based approach to making a business more efficient and more functional. (For more on the basics of Lean Six Sigma and what it is, you can check out this Wikipedia article.) The guide takes readers through everything they need to know when preparing for Six Sigma Certification, including the pros and cons of utilizing Six Sigma; the five basic steps of Six Sigma, which are also known as DMAIC; the different belt levels of Six Sigma Certification and their roles; the incorporation of Scrum, Kanban, and Agile Management; and much more, all culminating in practice questions and answers for each level of Six Sigma Certification. By the end of the book, readers should know what Six Sigma is, the benefits, and how to apply it either to their own personal businesses or workplaces.

Michael Craig provides everything the full title promises and more. He gives a complete, detailed guide on Lean Six Sigma that even includes some easy-to-follow examples as to how the approach might make a business better for its customers and employees alike. Craig even takes this information a step further by admitting to the potential cons of this process and how they can be turned from negatives into positives. I do wish that Craig had explained the general concept of Lean Six Sigma more clearly and explicitly during the introduction for readers who are just getting started in business and business management, but it is cleared up as the process is described in detail throughout the rest of the book.

My favorite part of the guide—and, I would argue, one of the most crucial parts—is one Craig discusses organizing and using the data gathered earlier in the Six Sigma process. I am a very visual person, so being able to put data into a visual form such as with the value stream map which Craig describes makes more difficult concepts both easier for me to grasp and more enjoyable. While not a fully-visual concept, visual learners will still appreciate the idea/use of a value stream map when trying to understand how Six Sigma leads to a more efficient and functional business.

I can’t say that Lean Mastery is an easy read. While Craig uses plain, straightforward language in his writing, the information is dense and a lot is thrown at the reader in 521 pages. Craig is thorough, seeming to cover everything one could possibly need in order to take the certification exams, but that also means readers will have a lot to process and might need to read this book multiple times, especially since Craig could have been more concise in his approach to the subject. I also do not recommend it to readers not already familiar with statistical terms and some degree of business management. Otherwise, you will spend a lot of time looking terms up and will not get all that you can out of the guide.

Overall, I think that Lean Mastery by Michael Craig does a good job in conveying the process of Lean Six Sigma and how it can help businesses while also preparing readers for certification. However, it is not something to read lightly. It requires some knowledge of statistics and business management in order to follow along, so even if you’re starting a business and want to know how to apply this method to your new venture, you should wait until you have a better understanding these concepts before attempting to read this book or learn the Six Sigma process. If you already have this knowledge, time to read the guide carefully, and a true desire to become Six Sigma certified then Lean Mastery is definitely for you.

You can buy Lean Mastery by Michael Craig as an eBook or in paperback on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!