REQUEST: quote by W.E. Deming

[David Kerridge <dfkerridge@mac.com>]

>[Non-DENizen request - please copy mscott@qc.aibn.com on any responses]
>
>I am translating a document that uses a quote by Dr. Deming. I would 
>therefore like
>to use his exact words.
>The quote says something to the effect that: If I had to sum up my message to
>management in a few words, I would tell them to focus their efforts 
>on reducing
>variations.
>I would greatly appreciate it if someone could tell me exactly what 
>he said or where
>to find it.
>Thank you,
>M. Scott
>Message posting through the Clemson CQI Web Server.

M Scott is to be congratulated on his thoroughness

I was at a research meeting where someone quoted Deming as saying this.
He was quite indignant. "I did not!"

It has so often been quoted that I expect he did say something that
could easily be misinterpreted as this. But you never know. At the
recent WEDI meeting in Washington Gipsie Ranney gave a whole
list of statements which various authors have attributed to Deming.
Most were the exact opposite of what he did say.

This is not surprising. Deming based all his teachings on research.
Most good research tell us things that are the opposite of what we
have always believed to be obvious. The research is (in a sense)
a failure otherwise, since we have not made progress.

But because of the way our minds work, we see what we expect to
see, even when we read Deming's books. It is a trap we all fall into
at times. I certainly have.

-- 
Best wishes

David

dfkerridge@mac.com