Re: PDSA vs Theory of Knowledge

["John K. Balor" <balor1999@yahoo.com>]

Cliff pointed out that JUSE did not seem to be familiar with the 14
points. This was very nice to hear, I think.
   
  As I see it, the list of 14 points was an approach that was good idea with some unfortunate consequences.  The good idea is that the list makes it easier for people to remember and structure some of the key insights Deming was trying to teach.  The unfortunate consequences were that by producing lists like that, Deming was violating one of his own points, namely the point about creating lists and slogans.
   
  By producing lists and slogans, people tend to get brainwashed rather than reflective, like with Orwell's infamous "two legs bad, four legs good".  Perhaps the approach was useful for Deming in terms of being invited to do more seminars where he could teach more reflective method of "Socratic dialogue", but it also created an opportunities for charlatans to exploit the Deming phenomenon by writing books and selling their own seminars based on "the 14 points" without any of the real insights that can only be understood by what Deming later referred to as "profound knowledge".
   
  John Balor