The DEN -- Heal thyself

[Kromkowski@aol.com]

Below you will find in date order (beginning in 7/97 --
data available from the archive list) the monthly number
of DEN messages.

I prepared a Ind. X/MR control chart using the first 35
data points (maybe you will want to use 25 or 20 or 30
or 40 or whatever).

It's patently obviously that something has changed in the
process such that special cause investigation would likely
be worth the effort.  September 2001 is an obvious point
out of control, but before any one suggests the events of 
9/11, trending signals might suggest looking as far back as Feb of 2000.  A visual representation is rather stunning.

I have started reading Albert-Laszlo Barabasi's Linked,
(see http://www.nd.edu/~networks/linked/index.html)which prompted me to look at the available data for DEN.

Here are a couple of thoughts:

1.  The DEN is not really set up to be a vehicle for 
expanding the circle of people familiar with Deming or
his philosophy.  A web based forum would have a better
chance of such an aim.  (I've made this point before, and
Barabasi's research seems to bear out my intuition.)
Mostly,we have a situation of preaching to the choir.

2.  The effect of the DEN's "privatization" and claim 
(which I dispute) to have the copyright on everything posted
occurred just prior to Feb. 2000 should be investigated.

3.  Almost everything that can be said about Deming and his
philosophy and methods has long been said on the DEN.  
Indeed the commentary and answers to any new posts could be 
found by simply search the archives. I have written before 
that the DEN would be better served by simply randomly 
posting messages from the archives.

4.  The inability of the DEN to accept html based email
(for example anyone from AOL)might also be investigated.

5.  The failure of the DEN to evolve at all.

6.  The lack of any real and effective means of self-
assessment and self-improvement by the DEN. But then again,
made help must come from the outside.  How would we know
that the DEN is successful? Who knows, maybe when there
are hardly any posts that means that everyone on the list
knows everything that they need to know.

J.D.Kromkowski

DEN Data:
233
277
214
250
205
275
206
251
250
210
215
105
337
147
270
274
152
214
297
300
290
287
180
232
343
222
194
218
156
225
240
124
110
90
180
143
307
192
114
115
47
131
176
146
173
129
101
159
177
88
41
83
23
38
63
103
36
109
59
67
45
85
38
18
114
98
36
58
15
25
28



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