RE: Six Sigma & Deming Philosophies!

["Mr & Mrs Langman" <Langman@lydbury.co.uk>]

There is no such thing - I think, as "within" and "without" a system.
There are really not many boundaries - although I think I have found
something that can capture a Wicked Problem to some extent.  To me, the
"edge" of the system is where the customer places their demand - which
is in a system, in a system, in a system.

What I have written below is probably a bit too forceful, but I feel SO
strongly about this.  Anyone want to start a revolution?  I mean
REvolution - because Deming has prepared the ground for us - we just
need to wake up and be bolder and smarter.

As for Six Sigma - darn it, I don't care what Pande says about
"umbrellas" - it's a new buzz word and it will go down the same tubes as
the EFQM BEM, the Balanced Scorecard, and every other whiz and fart that
isn't properly connected to the system of profound knowledge - and a
proper understanding of process.

John, I think you are spot on when you talk about the failure of some
six sigma implementations.  Sadly, the short-termist view of the world,
to which you refer, is endemic in our society - neah - the world -
otherwise we would follow the advice of the smart folk - like Deming and
Fritjof Capra, Schumacher and so on - and live in a more sustainable
way.  I guess my frustration is palpable!

I refer you to the comments on p.226 of "The New Economics" (4th
printing, 1997) - attributed to Wheeler:

"Conformance to specifications, Zero Defects, Six Sigma Quality, and
other nostrums, all miss the point".

Why?  Because you can't force the Voice of the Process to meet the Voice
of the Customer.  The Voice of the Process is what it can do - if you
need it to do something else - you've got to work on the process (the
system - inside, outside, upside down, every which way).  

Some Six Sigma people get this - some don't.  This drives me bonkers!
And please, since Deming was polite enough to attribute Shewhart's work
to HIM, don't you think that these modern "thinkers" should at least
mention Deming in their bibliographies!

As far as I am concerned, Deming has solved problems that we haven't
even thought of yet - and I am thrilled that the DEN exists so that we
will be there to point the way when the "new" problems emerge.

Best regards to you all,

Emma

PS Talking of Wheeler - has anyone else got their hands on "Making Sense
of Data" yet - talk about clarity and depth of understanding.  Compare
these clear explanations to the mystique - cloak and dagger of the Six
Sigma world - yikes - how exclusive can you be - "sorry love, you ain't
got the right colour belt" - hmmm - not the best way to drive out fear
and bring in Joy?  Deming should be EVERYWHERE - and it is - but those
who half-grasp, fumble and almost manage to capture his ideas - peddle
them under a new name with insufficient consideration of the maths and
what Deming actually wrote.