In this episode, I had a conversation with Mike Beck. We dive deep into W. Edwards Deming's seminal perspectives on quality and their application in the automotive and healthcare sectors. Mike, with his vast experience at General Motors and Toyota, shares compelling stories and insights on how Deming's principles transformed his approach to engineering and management.Mike Beck's journey began as a mechanical engineer at General Motors in 1979, a time when the company held a dominant market share. His career took a significant turn after attending Deming’s seminar in 1984, which profoundly influenced his perspective on quality and management. This episode captures Mike's evolution from a reliability and test engineer to a leader in statistical methods and quality improvement at GM.Key Discussion Points:Early Career and Deming’s Influence:Mike details his early career at General Motors, the transition of GM from the market leader, and his first exposure to Deming’s teachings which significantly shifted his approach towards statistical methods and leadership​​.Implementing Statistical Methods:He discusses his application of statistical methods in engine development, particularly using Taguchi methods and design of experiments (DOE) to tackle the issue of bore distortion in the Quad 4 engine​​.Deming’s Consultancy at GM:Mike shares insights from GM's decision to hire Deming as a consultant, and how this influenced the creation of the Powertrain Statistical Network and a master’s program in statistics, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and statistical thinking within the company​​.Transition to Toyota:His move to Toyota offered a unique comparison between American and Japanese approaches to quality. Mike highlights Toyota’s meticulous production engineering processes, incremental changes, and the profound cultural differences that underpin their success in quality management​​.Cultural and Management Lessons:Mike elaborates on the concept of "catchball" in Hoshin Kanri, emphasizing the importance of alignment and communication in achieving organizational objectives. He also contrasts the Western and Eastern views on time and efficiency, shedding light on how Toyota’s approach to planning and reflection contributes to their sustained excellence​​.Show Notes:Mike's Email: mikebeck001@gmail.com

In this episode of the Profound Podcast, I have a conversation with Rob Park. Rob shares his journey from early involvement in extreme programming (XP) to his current fascination with W. Edwards Deming's principles and their application in modern software development.Rob's career path offers a rich tapestry of experiences, from using case tools and adopting scrum practices before they were widely recognized, to working with Kanban and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) processes. He reminisces about his introduction to Deming's work through the influence of notable figures in the agile community.A significant portion of the discussion delves into the integration of Deming's theories into software practices. Rob talks about the impact of statistical process control (SPC) and control charts on his work, emphasizing the importance of understanding variation and employing data-driven decision-making. He highlights the utility of Dr. Donald Wheeler's teachings on process behavior charts and the critical difference between enumerative and analytical statistics.The episode wraps up with Rob reflecting on the broader implications of Deming's work, advocating for its relevance in addressing contemporary challenges in software development. He shares his experiences of applying Deming's theories in real-world scenarios, illustrating how these timeless concepts continue to drive quality and efficiency in the digital age.You can find Rob Park's LinkedIn below:https://www.linkedin.com/in/robpark-4ls/

Beth Blankenship, an expert in quality management and disciple of W. Edwards Deming, discusses Deming's principles and their relevance today. She critiques Six Sigma, emphasizes customer focus and innovation, and reflects on Deming's impact on Japanese industry. Beth shares her journey, research insights, and ongoing efforts to promote Deming's teachings.

Dr. Jabe Bloom, a design studies and organizational theory expert, discusses temporality, design decisions, timeful design, continuous adaptation, bounded rationality in digital systems, recombining in design, shared problem-solving, economies of developers and operators, intentional objects, question formulation in digital transformation, and shared responsibility in digital transformation, emphasizing continuous negotiation and context-driven design.

Join John Dues, Chief Learning Officer at United Schools Network, as he discusses applying Deming's principles to transform education. Topics include embracing System of Profound Knowledge, enhancing remote learning during the pandemic, using PDSA cycle, and promoting continuous improvement in educational systems.

In this episode of the Profound Podcast, I have the pleasure of speaking with Ariane David, PhD, an insightful thinker and academic who delves into the principles of non-positional thinking and its profound impact on personal and organizational learning. We explore how W. Edwards Deming's theories on quality and continuous improvement intersect with modern challenges in digital transformation, particularly within IT, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors.Dr. David's introduces the four principles of non-positional thinking, beginning with the 'uncertainty principle,' which emphasizes intellectual humility and the acceptance that our perceptions and conclusions might be flawed. This acknowledgment opens the door to 'curiosity,' the second principle, fostering a desire to explore and understand rather than to confirm biases. The discussion progresses to the 'principle of discernment,' where information is analyzed critically to separate useful insights from noise. Lastly, Ariane discusses 'courage,' which is essential for challenging our own assumptions and committing to a path of genuine understanding and improvement .Throughout the conversation, Dr. David highlights the dangers of 'adaptive learning' in organizations—learning driven by fear and survival instincts—which often prevents genuine insight and improvement. She contrasts this with 'generative learning,' which encourages a blame-free environment where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth and learning, thereby fostering a culture that supports continuous improvement and aligns closely with Deming's philosophy.You can find Dr. Ariane David's LinkedIn below:https://www.linkedin.com/in/arianedavid/

In the second episode of my two-part discussion with Bill Bellows, we explore the nuanced realms of quality management, variation, and integration, drawing from the rich legacy of W. Edwards Deming and Genichi Taguchi, and their profound impact on industries ranging from automotive to aerospace.Bill Bellows shares enlightening perspectives on the historical collaboration between Ford and Mazda, illuminating the stark differences in their approaches to quality and production. He discusses the importance of minding the gap, not just in terms of parts but in the broader context of integration and systems thinking. This episode delves into the philosophical underpinnings of quality management, touching upon the concepts of red pen and blue pen companies, and the significance of aiming for systemic improvements rather than mere compliance with specifications.The conversation extends beyond the specifics of automotive engineering, drawing parallels with software development, healthcare systems, and manufacturing processes. Bellows emphasizes the critical role of managing variation not just at the part level but as an integral part of a coherent system. This approach, he argues, is key to achieving superior quality, functionality, and customer satisfaction.You can find Bill Bellows LinkedIn here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-bellows-218435/

Bill Bellows discusses the nuances of system thinking in organizations, distinguishing 'Red Pen' vs 'Blue Pen' mentalities. He explores 'Me' vs 'We' dynamics and the collective impact of small details on teamwork. Through exercises and metaphors, Bellows emphasizes the importance of systemic perspectives for collaboration and continuous improvement.

In this episode of the Profound Podcast, I had the pleasure of engaging with Dave Nave, a multifaceted expert with a rich background in engineering, quality improvement, and business management consulting. Through his work and studies, Nave has delved deep into W. Edwards Deming's philosophies, applying these principles across various sectors with notable emphasis on manufacturing.Our conversation explored Nave's initial skepticism towards quality improvement methodologies and his transformative encounter with Deming's teachings. Nave vividly described his early career experiences, where he challenged the concepts of process variability and predictability, only to find empirical evidence that humbled his perspective. This journey led him to embrace Deming's methodologies, seeking further education and eventually contributing to quality improvement initiatives in the defense industry and beyond.Nave's experiences with the Deming Scholars MBA program at Fordham University stood out as a pivotal moment in his career. Immersed in Deming's teachings, he gained insights from esteemed professors and applied these lessons to real-world challenges. His anecdotes about the practical applications of Deming's principles, especially in the context of manufacturing assembly lines and quality control, were particularly enlightening.The conversation also touched upon the challenges and nuances of implementing quality improvement methodologies within organizations. Nave shared stories from his consulting work, highlighting the importance of systemic thinking and the pitfalls of siloed approaches to process improvement.Dave Nave's LinkedIn can be found below:https://www.linkedin.com/in/davenave/

In this episode of Profound,  I talk with Dr. Khai Minh Pham, whose unique approach to artificial intelligence challenges conventional paradigms and opens new frontiers in AI research and application. Dr. Pham, with his extensive background in both medicine and artificial intelligence, shares his journey towards creating a distinctive AI framework that prioritizes knowledge over data, steering clear of the traditional data-centric methodologies that dominate the field.Dr. Pham recounts his early realization of the limitations inherent in human cognitive processes and how this propelled him to explore AI as a means to augment human memory and decision-making capabilities. Central to this episode is Dr. Pham's critique of the prevailing AI models that rely heavily on data processing and pattern recognition. He introduces his concept of "macro connectionist AI," a system that mimics human reasoning more closely by forming high-level knowledge representations rather than merely processing data inputs. This approach, according to Dr. Pham, not only enhances AI's problem-solving capabilities but also significantly reduces the computational resources required, challenging the current industry trend towards increasingly complex and energy-intensive AI systems.you can find Dr. Pham's LinkedIn below:https://www.linkedin.com/in/khai-minh-pham/