The late Dr. W. Edwards Deming has articulated a subject area independent system for improving ourselves and the organizations we work in. I hope you find the following brief description of the four pillars of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge excellent food for thought.
Appreciation for a system: Organizations are interactive systems and must be managed as systems. Management's role is to strive toward optimization of the enterprise as a whole.
Theory of variation: Variation is always present. The key is not in measuring it, but in understanding what is causing it; not to judge or blame individuals, but to improve the system.
Theory of knowledge: Management's job is prediction. Prediction is based on knowledge. Knowledge is built on theory. Experience without theory teaches nothing.
Some Psychology: Knowledge of individual and group psychology is needed to nurture and preserve innate desires of people to learn, to create, to contribute and to take pride in work.
Dr. W. Edwards Deming and others have noted upwards of 94% of all problems in organizations - and their solutions - stem from the system. So concentrate on understanding the system and how you might adjust it to make your or any organization operate more happily and productively.
Revised 26 May 2000