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62 PCB007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2019 This column begins a series of seven in- stallments, each highlighting one of the seven founding fathers of quality (as selected by the author). It is important to understand and ac- knowledge their revolutionary contributions that still form the foundation of modern qual- ity practices. The Founding Fathers of Quality Companies like Toyota are often touted (with good reason) as the gold standard for quali- ty system models. Toyota's production system (TPS) has been highly publicized and gained increasing acceptance in American manufac- turing operations over the last decade or so. What has not been highly publicized is the fact that many of these concepts originated in America, and quality pioneers like Dr. W. Ed- wards Deming had to take their show on the road to Japan only after being rejected by the leaders of American industry. The contribu- tions of such legends as Dr. Deming, Dr. Ju- ran, Philip Crosby, Dr. Ishikawa, Dr. Shewhart, and Shigeo Shingo had such an impact on the world that they truly are the founding fathers of modern quality. Dr. W. Edwards Deming (1900–1993) Dr. Deming is perhaps best known for his theory that most problems are systemic and his not-so-subtle reminder that management owns the system. In emphasizing manage- ment's responsibility for systems, Dr. Deming noted that workers are responsible for only 10–20% of the quality problems in a factory and that the remaining 80–90% is under man- The Founding Fathers of Quality: W. Edwards Deming The Right Approach by Steve Williams, THE RIGHT APPROACH CONSULTING