These are some quotes on quality by quality pioneer W Edwards Deming of the popular deming awards:
It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.
Management by results is confusing special causes with common causes.
The result of long-term relationships is better and better quality, and lower and lower costs.
Learning is not compulsory but neither is survival.
Confusing common causes with special causes will only make things worse.
The emphasis should be on why we do a job.
When a system is stable, telling the worker about mistakes is only tampering.
You should not ask questions without knowledge.
You can not define being exactly on time.
We must understand variation.
Let us ask our suppliers to come and help us to solve our problems.
Any manager can do well in an expanding market.
Choice of aim is clearly a matter of clarification of values, especially on the choice between possible options.
Hold everybody accountable? Ridiculous!
Quality starts in the boardroom.
Whenever there is fear, you will get wrong figures.
All anyone asks for is a chance to work with pride.
Innovation comes from the producer — not from the customer.
Quality is everyone’s responsibility.