Defects Quote by W. Edwards Deming
“Zero defects is a super highway going down the tube.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Out of the Crisis, W. Edwards Deming, 1982
Zero defects is an unrealistic ideal, like a highway that never encounters obstacles, highlighting the difficulty of flawless production.
In simple terms: Zero defects is an impossible perfect road.
Key Takeaway
Aim for continuous improvement, not perfection.
Themes
quality
process
efficiency
perfectionism
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
business
technical
When to use this quote
- manufacturing line
- software development
- service delivery
Key Concepts
systems thinking
statistical control
lean manufacturing
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you ever truly eliminate defects?
- What are the costs of chasing zero defects?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may oversimplify complex quality challenges.
![“The sense of tragedy - according to Aristotle - comes, ironically enough, not from the protagonist's weak points but from his good qualities. Do you know what I'm getting at? People are drawn deeper into tragedy not by their defects but by their virtues. ... [But] we accept irony through a device…” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa9/haruki-murakami-21_accepting_the-sense-of-tragedy-according-to-aristo_23796.jpg)
