Assume Quote by 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 in trouble.”
About This Quote
Assuming individual competence guarantees overall success ignores systemic interdependencies and hidden failures.
In simple terms: Individual performance ≠ system health
Key Takeaway
Systemic risk persists despite competent actors
Themes
systems thinking
risk management
organizational behavior
interdependence
quality control
Mood
cautious
analytical
critical
Type
advice
observation
warning
When to use this quote
- manufacturing plant
- software development team
- hospital department
- supply chain
- government agency
Key Concepts
feedback loops
process integration
collective responsibility
Practical Applications
- risk assessment
- process redesign
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we detect hidden systemic flaws?
- What mechanisms ensure collective accountability?
A Different Perspective
A well‑designed system can mitigate individual errors, but no system is immune to collective oversights.
![“If [Barack] Obama or the boss or the newspapers or anyone else tells you they're doing this, that, or the other thing, dismiss it or assume the opposite is true, which it often is.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/06d/noam-chomsky-42_assume_if-barack-obama-or-the-boss-or-the-newsp_74402.jpg)
