I found this interview rather interesting. Marina did dismiss SixSigma as a way to improve operations, a rather bold move.

An interview with CIO of NetApp - interview with the CIO of NetApp - Information Technology - Management - The McKinsey Quarterly

When I read her explanation, I really got it at a gut level. 6Sigma tends to be this big, lumbering tsunami that buries everything for a time to then emerge with a totally different landscape.

Marina's approach of dealing with the big problems that can be successfully inside a given time frame is much more nimble. Once a total list of improvement opportunities has been identified and cleaned up, the top leadership of the company can decide on a rating framework, rate all opportunities, and then execute the top ones until money/time/resources run out.

The advantage: there is action, things do improve visible for the frontline troops, and the level of "we can do that" confidence rises. Takes a strong leader to avoid all the interesting little projects on the side, and board-level commitment to keep the project focus sharp.