RE: Accountability

["Eugene Taurman" <ilx@execpc.com>]

Ben,

You face a normal problem when talking with people who believe the person is
responsible for the problem. You are also right that the system must be
organized for accountability. If people are to be accountable for quality
then they must have the authority to make change and to improve. If not they
lose trust in managers.

You can of course use the red bead experiment to illustrate the point. That
might make some impact usually provide fodder for discussion. The next step
in some case is to use the old cause and effect or fishbone diagram to
illustrate how all the factors making for good quality are connected. It may
take several fish-bone diagrams to get to the point.

Sometime I prove the point with a game that proves good intentions do not
make for good quality and only good processes and systems can make good
quality.

Stick to your guns.

Eugene Taurman
interLinx
http://www.execpc.com/~ilx
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