In Summary, the Handbook on Continuous Improvement Transformation leverages the best practices of the Project Management Institutes systematic Work Breakdown Structure, addressing the weaknesses of the PMBOK’s lack of attention on “how to” leverage the tools and methods of Lean Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, Change Management, and Project Management. It provides the reader with a common language, operational definitions, and clear and concise instructions on not only what tools and methods to use, when to use, but also how they are used. The authors did not dive into the various statistical software packages on the market that helps in many of the analytical tools, but instead focused on the core concepts behind those tools.

1. Handbook on Continuous Improvement Transformation
Book Review
The Lean Six Sigma Framework and Systematic Methodology for Implementation
- By Aristide van Aartsengel & Selahattin Kurtoglu
I found Dr. Aartsengel & Dr. Kurtoglu’s book “Handbook on Continuous Improvement Transformation”
extremely valuable in guiding practitioners through the subtle differences and intricacies in delivering
continuous improvement projects. The guidance provided in the handbook, should be on every practitioners
bookshelf.
I first met Aristide van Aartsengel, Ph.D., and Six Sigma Master Black Belt and Selahattin Kurtoglu Ph.D., and
Project Management Professional (PMP) on the LinkedIn Lean Six Sigma Group open forum discussions. I am
the owner of the Lean Six Sigma group with over 200,000 members. We shared numerous discussions around
continuous improvement across various industries. One of the challenges I struggled with when I first started
my process improvement journey was the magnitude of tools and methods I needed to learn. While I was
studying Six Sigma and executing projects, I was also preparing for the Project Management Institute’s PMP
certification, Lean Manufacturing, Change Acceleration Process, and studying for my Masters in Business
Administration. It was overwhelming to say the least. When I started as a Master Black Belt, I vowed I would
make it easier for others to understand which tool to use and when and so created the Tollgate Templates so
many have used in executing their projects.
I have thousands of books in my library and am asked practically every day, which books I would recommend
to someone just getting started, or what is the best book to learn the methodology? Honesty is a core value
of mine and grew up in New England, so I am blunt, and usually answer that there is no one book that
transfers this knowledge, it is mostly learned by doing. At the same time, books help guide us, they are
reference aides, and they can teach the basic mechanics. The handbook on continuous improvement
transformation implementation is now my recommended book for Lean Six Sigma Black Belts, Lean Six Sigma
Master Black Belts, Lean Six Sigma Deployment Champions, and most importantly to the Project
Management Professionals.
Why to the Project Management Professionals? Because I am one, and was very disappointed in how weak
the PMBOK (Project Management Book of Knowledge) was in addressing Quality Assurance, Quality Control,
and Quality Audits, at least that was about the extent the PMI covered on the elements of process
improvement. There was no reference to the Voice of the Customer, Process Capability, Cause & Effect
Analysis, Control Charts, and most of the Six Sigma tools and methods, while Lean Thinking was completely
ignored by PMI. Sure the PMBOK discussed the need to build a work breakdown structure (WBS) to baseline
the current state, as well as the need to manage and control the schedule, with a decent focus on scheduling
activities and sequencing, but it ignored concepts of pull systems, value stream maps, Takt Rate, and Value-
Add Analysis, Quick Changeover, Poke-Yoke to name just a few. So even though I achieved my PMP and
received at-a-boy’s from my peers, I was blunt and honest then as I am now when I said that my Lean Six
Sigma Black Belt learning and experience was like a PMP on steroids. That I was confident the worse

2. performing Lean Six Sigma Black Belt could run circles around a top performing PMP. Ok so maybe that was
too strong, I did warn you that I am from New England, and tend to be overly passionate at times. The
Handbook on Continuous Improvement Transformation was a big book to reads, over 600 pages, but I read
every page, not because I promised the authors I would provide a book review, but because I needed to be
certain that before I would offer such a strong endorsement that I now consider this handbook as the “Book
of Knowledge for Continuous Improvement”, I would need to be certain that it was worthy of that title.
So for all my Project Manager peers, I recommend you add the Handbook on Continuous Improvement
Transformation to your libraries, not to collect dust and occasionally reference, but to actually read and apply
these concepts to the projects you lead. The authors have taken the systematic strengths of the PMBOK and
applied to the Lean Six Sigma methodology. For all my Lean Six Sigma practitioners, you all know that it is the
execution of change, where the real learning takes place and that it is results that matter, but variation in
how we execute that change can be great. So I invite you to also read the Handbook on Continuous
Improvement Transformation, adding a more systematic structure in executing process improvement that so
many of us need. To answer the question that I also receive a lot, of whether one should pursue a Lean Six
Sigma Black Belt or Project Management Professional certification, I say do both, as they are both helpful in
learning the basic fundamentals in executing the tools and methods we use in transforming processes. Let
this Handbook on Continuous Improvement Transformation be your guide in understanding how these 2
different arts are really just a different side of the same coin.
Handbook on Continuous Improvement Transformation is broken into 36 main segments, incorporating the
Work Breakdown Structure, and organized to easily lookup
and find information fast. There are hundreds of references
leveraging other thought leaders and published works, and
lots of graphics, tables, and diagrams to assist in the more
complex topics. Although I am a big fan of graphical examples
and case studies, that was not the focus of this handbook, but
the soft-skill and change management tools were addressed,
something that has been lacking in other technical process
improvement books.
In Summary, the Handbook on Continuous Improvement
Transformation leverages the best practices of the Project
Management Institutes systematic Work Breakdown
Structure, addressing the weaknesses of the PMBOK’s lack of
attention on “how to” leverage the tools and methods of Lean
Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, Change Management, and
Project Management. It provides the reader with a common
language, operational definitions, and clear and concise
instructions on not only what tools and methods to use, when
to use, but also how they are used. The authors did not dive
into the various statistical software packages on the market
that helps in many of the analytical tools, but instead focused on the core concepts behind those tools.

3. I recommend the “Handbook on Continuous Improvement Transformation” and hope you find it as valuable
as I, in achieving continuous improvement results and success in your process transformations.
Book Review by Steven Bonacorsi, President of the International Standard for Lean Six Sigma
(ISLSS). Mr. Bonacorsi is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (MBB), ITIL Master,
Project Management Professional (PMP), and Agilest. He holds a Masters in Computer
Information Systems and MBA. He is the author of the Goal/QPC Memory Jogger Series on
Kaizen, Lean Six Sigma Tollgate Templates, and has led 27 Fortune 100 and over 40 Fortune
500 Lean Six Sigma Deployments.
Respectfully,
Steven Bonacorsi, LSS MBB, President
International Standard for Lean Six Sigma
Cell: 603-401-7047
skype: sbonacorsi
E-mail: sbonacorsi@comcast.net
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sbonacorsi
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/StevenBonacorsi