The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook
A useful tool reference for trained practitioners, not a first book on Lean Six Sigma.
The short version
- Green Belt and Black Belt candidates preparing for certification
- Practitioners who want a tool reference during projects
- Quality and operations staff who already know DMAIC
- You are new to Lean Six Sigma and want to learn it from the ground up
- You want case studies and worked examples more than tool summaries
- Your team works mainly in agile frameworks
What owners like
- Handy to keep nearby during improvement projects as a memory aid
- Useful while studying for Green Belt and Black Belt certification
- Tools are laid out in a logical order that follows a project
Common complaints
- Assumes prior training, so it is hard going for complete beginners
- Some explanations read as dense or overly technical
- Few worked business examples showing the tools in real use
- Larger than the word pocket suggests, and some feel the method is dated next to agile approaches
Based on Goodreads reader reviews, the Shortform summary, and the publisher and retailer descriptions..
Research scores
Scored from the maker's specs and what owners report. Drew's own notes and photos will refine these.
Ownership
Drew's hands-on notes for this product are on the way. Long-term updates will be added to this timeline.
What it does
A compact paperback reference from McGraw-Hill that explains nearly 100 Lean and Six Sigma tools, from DMAIC to control charts and Pareto charts.
- Covers nearly 100 tools, grouped by what they are used for
- Each tool gets notes on how to build it, how to read the results and when to use it
- Organized around the DMAIC steps: define, measure, analyze, improve, control
- Includes Lean flow tools such as pull systems alongside Six Sigma statistics
- Listed by ASQ as a reference for its Six Sigma Green Belt certification
A good desk reference for Green Belt and Black Belt practitioners who already know the method and want a fast reminder of how and when to use a tool. It does not teach Lean Six Sigma from scratch, and readers find parts of the writing dense, so beginners should pair it with an introductory book or course.
How it compares
Specs
- Authors
- Michael L. George, David T. Rowlands, Mark Price, John Maxey
- Publisher
- McGraw-Hill
- Edition
- 1st edition
- Published
- 2004
- Pages
- 288 per Bulk Book Store's listing (Goodreads lists 225)
- Format
- Paperback, about 5.1 x 7.9 x 0.8 in; also sold as an ebook
- ISBN
- 0071441190 / 9780071441193
Questions
Is the Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook good for beginners?
Not on its own. Readers describe it as a reference that works best once you know the basics.
Is it useful for Green Belt certification?
Yes. ASQ lists it among the references for its Six Sigma Green Belt exam.
How many tools does it cover?
The publisher describes it as covering nearly 100 tools and methods.
Who wrote the Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook?
Michael L. George, David T. Rowlands, Mark Price and John Maxey. It was published by McGraw-Hill in 2004.
Sources
- McGraw Hill: The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook
- Bulk Book Store: The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook
- Goodreads: The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook
- ASQ: Six Sigma Green Belt certification references
- Shortform: The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook summary
Researched 2026-10-02. We bought this product; our page is built from the maker's details and what owners report across reviews and forums. We never copy Amazon customer reviews.