RE: Seddon on six sigma

["John Seddon" <john@vanguardconsult.co.uk>]

Petter Ogland wrote:

>>My understanding of the book "In pursuit of quality - the case against iso
9000", is that it has more to do with how ISO 9000 could be a dangerous
tool, when put in the hands of incompetent people (non-demingites), rather
than just an attack of the standard itself.<<

I would say the book attacked the underlying (bad) theory implicit in the
Standard. Even in 'good' hands you can't do a good job with bad theory.

>>My general feeling was that such a book could be written about almost any
quality management framework, like BPR, EFQM, CMM, or Six Sigma.<<

Yes, in the sense that they all contain aspects of bad theory or no theory.

and Petter asks:

>>Are you in any chance in contact with Flood and Jackson, using their type
systems thinking for quality improvement?<<

Yes, I know Jackson very well and my work is to be included in the new MSc
in systems thinking offered by Hull next year.

John