Book Review: Collaborative Process Improvement by Celeste LaBrunda Yeakley and Jeffrey D. Fiebrich
This book is a highly detailed, very prescriptive roadmap to the standardization of process improvement. Although the subtitle refers to the “Software World” and the focus is on “Quality”, the recommendations are applicable to any process chosen for implementation or improvement. All that is required is some adaptation.
The Authors have efficiently and effectively summarized their experiences in Improvement and have tried to provide a single source training tool. I think they have succeeded in doing so and have gone further than the minimum by identifying benefits, breakthroughs, time and cost savings, collaborative or global impact/results, aids, exercises and risks/hazards/pitfalls for both the novice and experienced enhancement campaigner. Although nothing should ever be guaranteed, this process outlines all the steps needed for success if presented in a manner suitable to the ‘Company Culture’. Diligently following this plan will result in efforts that will bear scrutiny by the harshest critics in the unlikely event that improvement aims not be totally realized.
Within each chapter there are summaries, checklists, guidelines, considerations and thought/ decision stimulators to help in the implementation and furtherance of the improvement process. Also included are a reasonable index, dictionary and excellent bibliography for further study should it be needed. Anyone assigned as an “Improvement Leader” will profit from reading this book and using the provided tools.
If the book lacks anything, it is a sufficient number and breadth of examples. Those that are provided have been generalized and shortened. Details on the exact occurrences would provide better understanding for those without much experience in leading change efforts. Still, I think this book is worth having on the bookshelf and provides excellent guidance for any Improvement Champion or implementation endeavor.
Collaborative Process Improvement, Celeste LaBrunda Yeakley and Jeffrey D. Fiebrich, Wiley-Interscience, 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 2007, 178 pp., $ 59.95.
An edited version of this book review was published in the Quality Progress magazine Nov. ’07 edition.
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