Re: The rationale for substantive knowledge of underlying process

[Kromkowski@aol.com]

<< It might be worth looking at Patrick's science project on pages 208-209 of
 TNE.  Dr. Deming states Patrick was age 11 when he performed an analysis of
 school bus arrival times.  Granted, there is not a formal control chart, but
 the concept is there, and special cause variation has been separated from
 common cause variation, and knowledge of the process has been applied.
 
 I know I had to do plots of data in 7th grade science and get out a ruler
 and fit a best-guess line through the data.  Why couldn't control charts be
 taught as part of High School science? >>

Having had a brief experience as middle school teacher (while going to law 
school in evenings).  I know that 7th and 8th grades can learn and use this 
stuff. But then what would the consultants do?  Again, the investigation 
phase and actual improvement phase, of course does require substantive 
knowledge.

JDKromkowski