Linear Thinking

[David Kerridge <dfk@rsc.co.uk>]

Both on and off the DEN, I have recently met the expression
"linear thinking". Unfortunately, I don't know what it means.
At least, I can think of several things it *might* mean, and
don't know which, if any, the term is intended to convey.

It could reasonably imply pre-Shewhart mechanistic thinking.
But in the context I have met it, this did not seem to be the
meaning. So what is it: could anyone tell me?

David Kerridge
Director of Research, British Deming Association
dfk@rsc.co.uk
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