What Did Deming Really Say?

“I really didn’t say everything I said.” —Yogi Berra

My March 30, 2011 article ended with wisdom from Yogi Berra as a warning to the quality profession. Some prickly reactions to it got me thinking about the last 30 years or so of quality improvement.

The 1980 NBC television show, “If Japan Can, Why Can’t We?” introduced the teachings of W. Edwards Deming to U.S. viewers and caused a quantum leap in awareness of the potential for quality improvement in industry. During the late 1980s, the movement also caught fire in health care. Those of you familiar with Deming’s funnel rules (which shows that a process in control delivers the best results if left alone) will smile to realize that his rule No. 4—making, doing, or basing your next iteration based on the previous one—also known as a “random walk,” has been in operation for the last 30 years.

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Dear Mr. Balestracci, I

Dear Mr. Balestracci,

I enjoyed your article very much. It was refreshing reading about the proper selection of statistical concepts for effective decision making.

Here is a couple of observations I would like to make:

First, “Originally Six Sigma was derived from Toyota Quality Management (TQM) by Motorola …" Should it be Toyota Management System? TQM was used for Total Quality Management in the 80's and early 90's. I don’t believe TQM contributed any original theories.

Second, Dr. Deming did say “If I could reduce my message to management to just a few words, I’d say it all has to do with reducing variation.” but, some time later he stated that, "I said earlier that my message, in a few words, had to do with variation. I've given it some more thought, and I would say it has to do with pride of work."

Regards,

Fernando J. Grijalva

@demingsos (twitter)

Thank you for the clarification

Dear Fernando,

Thank you so much for your kind comments. I also share your perception about TQM, but its reference was as quoted by Liker (who may have even workeded for Toyota). I have read Dr. Deming's writings extensively and never came across that clarification you gave--Thank you! Davis

Deming Quote

Hi Davis,

I m a please to provide the source of Dr. Deming's quote:

""Deming was once asked, at one of his seminars, how he would summarize his message in a few words. "I'm not sure," he replied, "but it would have something to do with variation." Later he said, "I said earlier that my message, in a few words, had to do with variation. I've given it some more thought, and I would say it has to do with pride of work.""

Peter Scholtes

What's pride got to do with it?

Journal for Quality and Participation.

Dec. 1996

Regards,

Fernando J. Grijalva

@demingsos (Twitter)

Deming's Teachings

W. Edwards Deming Thanks for a very insightful story about Deming's concepts. They are refreshing to hear since much has been forgotten or warped in the last 15 or so years since he left our world. If any readers are interested in learning more about Deming's teachings, especially if you are in the Austin, Texas area, I would like to announce that our local ASQ section is putting on "Dr. Deming Day" at which one of Deming's most qualified assistants, Bill Scherkenbach, will present a mini-version of the 4-day seminar, focused on the problems of today. If you read Out of the Crisis, you will notice that Deming dropped his name several times. I'm signed up now and I hope other Deming advocates will do the same. Seating is limited, and information is at asqaustin.org. This is a great opportunity to learn more of Deming's teachings which are not always viewed as "common sense" in this day and age. - Mike Harkins

Examples

I come pre-set to believe anything Deming said, but your entire article is written at the 20,000 foot level. Please illustrate the points with some examples. For instance, what statistical do's and don'ts would apply in attempting to identify, perhaps by experiment, which measurable product-, process- or environmental factors had the greatest effect on a product or system, and describing that effect. Say, for instance, I want to invent the world's furthest-flying golf ball. And what predictive factors, vs. evaluative ones, would I be interested in.

BTW, I just "failed" an interview where the chief criteria seemed to be my ability to explain when F, Chi-square, and t tests were required, how many ppm defective is +/- 3 Sigma, and Cp vs. Cpk. I explained that DOE, IMHO, is the tool of last resort in any conceivable manufacturing quality scenario, and didn't say (but think) that my ability to parrot statistical concepts, which I purposely ignore to save brain space for important things, is a poor predictor(!) of my performance.

On reflection, the real problem is that I didn't demonstrate awesomeness at MiniTab.

Er...uh..."Examples without theory teach nothing"..."It depends"

My point is that I AM writing at the 20,000 foot level--EXECUTIVES AND MANAGEMENT. Until they "get" it, interviews such as you experience will be the norm...and a waste of time. You didn't REALLY want that job, did you? Read Brian Joiner's "Fourth Generation Management" and I think you will answer your own questions...and be ready to hit the ground running at a more appropriate level via the skills you will learn. And read "The Improvement Guide" by Nolan, Nolan, Moen, and Provost as well. It's the inability to see the "big picture" (systems thinking?) that is the very problem I am addressing. Good luck. Davis

Thanks

for your response. I'll check out those resources.

That interview turned me off, but I'm temping here and need to go along to get along. I've not found telling hiring managers they're wrong to be an effective way to get jobs.

Failing that interview

David - so sorry to hear that. I encounter that misperception all of the time tho...

The book Davis recommends is a decent start (although I would ignore the stuff on fisbone diagrams)

"Quality improvement through planned experimentation" by Moen, Nolan and Provost. The first several chapters are very good at pointing out the difference bewteen enumerative and analytic studies and why statistical formulas and tests are really not needed. Good experimental structure will result in answers that are will be visually obvious wehn properly plotted.

The other two books I recommend:

Statistical Engineering by MacKay and Steiner

Process Quality Control by Ott

Books

Thanks! I'll add them to my List.