[mbubb]

> As I’ve heard it, Deming was having trouble getting people to listen to him

made me chuckle - its not like he did anything of value...

Deming has always been a reminder to think about counter tendencies. He might not have made sense to the Detroit execs in 1950-1975 but his relevance changed sharply after that.

[windexh8er]

Deming didn't do "anything of value"? Considering Kaizen and the concept of continuous improvement in Japan is mostly attributed to him. The prime minister awarded him the Order of the Sacred Treasure and recognizes him for their post-war rebirth as an industrial power. Detroit did everything wrong at the time (see GM's disaster in automation at their Hamtramck facility [0]). Even when American execs were posed with a simple question of why their own employees didn't buy their product they didn't understand the disconnect between quality, reliability and the awareness of the buyer.

[0] https://www.leanblog.org/2016/06/gms-ceo-roger-smith-thought...

[TotempaaltJ]

I think gp was being sarcastic...

[windexh8er]

Probably, although I feel as though that perspective about Deming is, unfortunately, a reality for some.

[mbubb]

Not for me. I had an uncle who was a Mech Engineering professor and I learned about his role in WWII and postwar Japanese rebuilding.

[oblio]

> Even when American execs were posed with a simple question of why their own employees didn't buy their product they didn't understand the disconnect between quality, reliability and the awareness of the buyer.

That's hilarious. Do you have a source for it?

[mbubb]

yeah 100% joking Deming was an amazing human being. He was a key figure in WWII military supply logistics, too