W. Edwards Deming Quotes - Page 8

The only useful function of a statistician is to make predictions, and thus to provide a basis for action.

Knowledge needs to be a verb.

Mere allocation of huge sums of money for quality will not bring quality.

We must understand variation.

A leader knows who is outside of the system and needs special help.

Adopt a new philosophy of cooperation (win-win) in which everybody wins.

We must satisfy our customers.

One need not be eminent in any part of profound knowledge in order to understand it and to apply it. The various segments of the system of profound knowledge cannot be separated. They interact with each other. For example knowledge about psychology is incomplete without knowledge of variation.

A rule should suit the purpose.

Knowledge is the key.

Hold everybody accountable? Ridiculous!

It is important that an aim never be defined in terms of a specific activity or method. It must always relate to a better life for everyone.

Many people in management are being paid to produce waste.

A rational prediction has an explanation based on theory.

Management of outcomes may not be any more than a skill. It does not require knowledge.

Management's job is to know which systems are stable and which are not.

Monetary rewards are not a substitute for intrinsic motivation.

You can not plan to make a discovery. You do not plan innovation.

When a worker has reached a stable state, further training will not help him.

When a system is stable, telling the worker about mistakes is only tampering.

Anybody can achieve gains in quality by slowing down production. That is not what we are talking about.

Any two people have different ideas of what is important.

Absence of defects does not necessarily build business... Something more is required.

A system must be managed. It will not manage itself. Left to themselves in the Western world, components become selfish, competitive. We cannot afford the destructive effect of competition.

There is very little evidence that we give a hoot about profit.