W. Edwards Deming

Absence of defects does not necessarily build business... Something more is required.

— W. Edwards Deming

In Japan, a company worker's position is secure. He is retrained for another job if his present job is eliminated by productivity…

— W. Edwards Deming

We are here to make another world.

— W. Edwards Deming

It is a mistake to assume that if everybody does his job, it will be all right. The whole system may be…

— W. Edwards Deming

Innovation comes from the producer - not from the customer.

— W. Edwards Deming

The only useful function of a statistician is to make predictions, and thus to provide a basis for action.

— W. Edwards Deming

A leader is a coach, not a judge.

— W. Edwards Deming

It does not happen all at once. There is no instant pudding.

— W. Edwards Deming

Sub-optimization is when everyone is for himself. Optimization is when everyone is working to help the company.

— W. Edwards Deming

We know what we told him, but we don't know what he heard.

— W. Edwards Deming

Rational behavior requires theory. Reactive behavior requires only reflex action.

— W. Edwards Deming

A manager of people needs to understand that all people are different. This is not ranking people. He needs to understand that…

— W. Edwards Deming

“It is not enough to just do your best or work hard; You must know what to work on.”

— W. Edwards Deming

You have to manage a system. The system doesn't manage itself.

— W. Edwards Deming

Two basic rules of life are: 1) Change is inevitable. 2) Everybody resists change.

— W. Edwards Deming

Knowledge is theory. We should be thankful if action of management is based on theory. Knowledge has temporal spread. Information is not…

— W. Edwards Deming

A leader must have knowledge. A leader must be able to teach.

— W. Edwards Deming

Managers don't like giving appraisals, and employees don't like getting them. Perhaps they're not liked because both parties suspect what the evidence…

— W. Edwards Deming

The process is not just the sum of its parts.

— W. Edwards Deming

You can see from a flow diagram who depends on you and whom you can depend on. You can now take joy…

— W. Edwards Deming

You can not achieve an aim unless you have a method.

— W. Edwards Deming

Uncontrolled variation is the enemy of quality.

— W. Edwards Deming

Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product…

— W. Edwards Deming

It only takes a little innovation.

— W. Edwards Deming

Plants don't close from poor workmanship, but from poor management.

— W. Edwards Deming