The 14 steps to quality, also known as the Deming Cycle or the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle, was created by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, an American statistician and management consultant. Deming is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of the modern quality movement, and his work has had a significant impact on the field of quality management.
Deming was born in Sioux City, Iowa in 1900 and received his undergraduate degree in engineering from the University of Wyoming in 1921. He went on to earn his PhD in mathematical physics from Yale University in 1928, and spent the early part of his career working in various research and development roles in the fields of electronics, engineering, and statistics.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Deming became increasingly interested in the role that statistical methods could play in improving the quality of products and services. He began working with a number of Japanese companies, including Toyota, and helped to introduce statistical process control (SPC) techniques to their operations. These techniques, which involve using statistical data to monitor and control processes, were key to the success of Japan's post-war economic boom.
Deming's 14 steps to quality, which he developed in the 1950s, are a set of principles and practices that are designed to help organizations improve the quality of their products and services. The steps are as follows:
- Create a philosophy of continuous improvement
- Adopt a new philosophy of management
- Cease reliance on mass inspection
- End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag
- Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service
- Institute training on the job
- Adopt and institute leadership
- Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company
- Break down barriers between departments
- Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the work force
- Eliminate numerical quotas
- Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship
- Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for everyone
- Put everyone in the company to work to accomplish the transformation
These steps are based on Deming's belief that organizations should focus on continuous improvement and that the key to improving quality is to involve all employees in the process. He argued that organizations should adopt a systems-oriented approach to quality management, rather than simply focusing on individual parts or processes.
Deming's 14 steps to quality have had a lasting impact on the field of quality management and have been widely adopted by organizations around the world. Many of the principles and practices outlined in the steps are still relevant today and are considered essential to achieving high levels of quality and customer satisfaction.