John Hunter's blog posts (all time)

Statistical Techniques Allow Management to do a Better Job

Tue, 26 May 2026

For all four groups of people [management, statistical administration, research, front-line workers], the statistical method is more than an array of techniques. It is a mode of thought-sharpened thinking. It helps anyone in the four groups, be he a machine operator or an executive, to make better decisions, and to do his work better, than he could do otherwise.

--- W. Edwards Deming

Those who continue to thinkW. Edwards Deming was focused on the factory floor alone have missed most of what he proposed. Improving the decision making at the executive level was always Deming’s focus. Continual improvement should be a part of everyone’s job but as executives have more authority the impact of improving their performance multiplies, or stifles, the impact of improvement anywhere else in the organization.

Statistical Techniques Allow Management to do a Better Job

Tue, 26 May 2026

Deming thoughts on consumer research are rarely discussed. I think this is because to some extent these ideas have become part of the accepted way of operating. But even in this area the full richness of Deming’s ideas are still missed today

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most importantly gaining intimate insight into customers so that you can predict and innovate was key to Deming’s way of thinking but is often far short in businesses today.

Unintended Consequences - distorting the system or distorting the data

Mon, 25 May 2026

Using data to understand your processes and improve them is very useful.

But using data often results in unintended consequences. If you don’t have a good understanding on the pressures collecting data will bring to bear on the system you can create pressure for results that damage the delivery of value to customers...

Distorting the system or distorting the data are often the result, instead of the process improvement that is desired and expected.

Product and Service Innovation is Driven by Customer Focused Organizations

Sun, 24 May 2026

At the core of W. Edwards Deming’s philosophy is a focus on delighting customers, allowing everyone to contribute what they have to offer and continually improving.

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An organization must have a deep focus on customers in order to continually improve the value delivered to those customers and to innovate and create new products and services that delight those customers and future customers that the business can win over.

How to Use Data and Avoid Being Mislead by Data

Sat, 23 May 2026

One of the four areas of Deming’s management system is “understanding variation.” The core principle underlying that concept is using data to improve while understanding what data is and is not telling you.

The mistakes in interpreting data are very often related to mistaking natural variation in data as meaningful. Combining this with our brains ability to find patterns (even from random data) and confirmation bias this creates problems.

Data can’t lie, but people can be mislead and they can even mislead themselves by misinterpreting data.

How to Use Data and Avoid Being Mislead by Data

Sat, 23 May 2026

Cliff Norman and Ron Moen Discuss the History of the PDSA Cycle

Fri, 22 May 2026

Ron emphasized the importance of the iterative nature of learning supported by the PDSA cycle. The importance of iterating the PDSA cycle multiple times is something that I find most organizations would benefit a great deal from. Another API consultant spoke on this importance at the 2006 Deming conference.

Systems Thinking: Feedback Loops

Thu, 21 May 2026

A reinforcing loop encourages the system to continue in that direction (e.g. a damn starting to leak, as water flows over the damn wall will further erode the wall which leads to more water flowing over causing more erosion).

When the reinforcing loop is undesirable it can be referred to as a viscous cycle...

An example of a positive reinforcing loop is building trust in an organization. As people gain trust (and fear reduces) people are more willing to be trusting and cooperate, that behavior then encourages more of that behavior and so on. A positive reinforcing loop can be called a virtuous cycle.

Inquiring Minds: Improving Elementary Science by Linda Lippe

Wed, 20 May 2026

This presentation also makes it obvious how well Leander ISD intergrates the use of quality tools into their efforts. Quality tools alone are not sufficient but the effective use of quality tools is extremely important to long term success of efforts to improve the system. And most organizations use quality tools far too infrequently.

The Edge-case Excuse

Tue, 19 May 2026

I have found “edge cases” to actually mean we don’t want to fix it. Often the issue isn’t needing some special code to deal with an “edge case” it is the coding was done poorly and breaks in many different “edge cases.” It isn’t that those edge cases need to be coded for. It is that the code should have been written in a robust way that didn’t break for lots of “edge cases” but the excuse given for not fixing the fundamental coding fragility is the bugs found are just “edge cases.”

“Our Problems Are Different” – Not Really

Mon, 18 May 2026

It is very common for people to see their situation as special and so different that they can only learn about management from some situation identical to the one they face. But this is a misunderstanding of what learning about better management practices is about. It isn’t an effort to find practices to copy. It is an effort to learn about managing organizations made up of people so that you can apply those ideas to your specific situation.

W. Edwards Deming and the Leander Way

Sun, 17 May 2026

Often people will say Deming isn’t just the tools. That is certainly true. But using tools and data to make improvement efforts concrete is important.

As Deming said, best efforts are not enough, you have to know what to do. But he also said, “Best efforts are essential.” Tools are not enough: and like best efforts, using them without understanding the management system can do damage. But tools are also essential and Leander’s experience shows a long term effort to integrate quality improvement tools into the management system to achieve long term continual improvement.

Acting Without Theory Often Results in Wasted Effort

Sat, 16 May 2026

If you don’t understand why you take action you will find yourself wasting effort. You must have a theory that you can test in order to test what is working, what changes actually lead to improvement and to learn. If this bird wants to find food it will discover this method isn’t effective.

I wrote about a similar example before: Experience Teaches Nothing Without Theory.

How to Respond to a Request for Estimates on Software Development

Fri, 15 May 2026

If they say they need some way of deciding if doing that work is wise or something that is going to be so difficult that it isn't worth it then some kind of estimate is sensible. If they talk about scheduling, then other explanations make sense to me - talking about the issues with fixed estimates etc. but giving them alternatives of fixed schedule with variable features (if there is a business need to deliver on some date)., etc.

Lessons for Managers from Wisconsin and Duke Basketball

Thu, 14 May 2026

The lesson many people miss is that college teams are mostly about developing a team that wins. Developing individual players is a part of that, but it is subordinate to developing a team. I think college coaches understand this reality much more than most managers do. But a management system that develops a team that succeeds is also critical to the success of business.

Deming’s Stage 0: By What Method?

Wed, 13 May 2026

Ron talks about W. Edwards Deming teaching a 2 week course on consumer research in Japan in 1951: that course included a section titled “the art of questioning and interviewing.” Dr. Deming had participants go out into the street of Tokyo and interview potential customers. Those interested in Lean Startup will recognize this activity.

Ron Moen’s presentation explores what “stage 0” should look like (Deming provided little guidance). Ron decided it was important to start with the customer need. When gathering data, to learn if the idea has merit, the data collection should be made at the actual place of work by the people doing the work (gemba).

If Japan Can... Why Cant We? – 1980 NBC Special Report

Tue, 12 May 2026

When this was broadcast 35 years ago there was an immediate demand by business to learn and apply Deming’s ideas. It is hard to understand how great an impact it had, from our current position.

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Throughout “If Japan Can, Why Cant We?” executives and front line workers talk about how important it is to involve workers in improvement efforts.

A Powerful Tool: The Capacity Matrix

Mon, 11 May 2026

One of the things that I learned about at that seminar was using a capacity matrix to improve student learning. It is one of those ideas that when you hear about it, immediately you realize this is a vastly superior method to those current used. I am cynical/experienced enough to know that just because much better methods are available, and explained to people, is no guaranty they will be used.

A Powerful Tool: The Capacity Matrix

Mon, 11 May 2026

The basic idea of the capacity matrix is to track your capability for each concept:

awareness (information) – I am aware of this idea and can recall pertinent details as needed.
knowledge (understanding and comprehension) – I can explain this idea or theory. I can translate the idea into my own words. I can make an example to explain the idea and demonstrate learning.
know-how (analysis and application)...
mastery (judgement and evaluation)...

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It seems to me that obviously such a manner of matching potential employees to the needs of the organization is a huge improvement upon current methods...

Before Deming’s 14 Points for Management

Sun, 10 May 2026

(principles 16 to 21) The consumer is the most important point - Performance of a product is the result of interaction between three participants: (1) the product itself; (2) the user and how he uses the product; (3) instructions for use, training of customer; service provided for repair.

Riding a Bike and the Theory of Knowledge

Sat, 9 May 2026

This video is a wonderfully visual example of how hard it can be for us to drop our ingrained habits and pick up new ones. When you watch this think about management concepts that are so difficult to drop that managers feel like this person trying to ride a bike.

The bike looks just like any other bike but reacts in a different way to the bike riders actions. But that small adjustment on how the bike reacts is very challenging to overcome and makes you very uncomfortable while you try to make sense of this odd new system.

People Copy Examples and Wonder Why They Don’t Succeed

Fri, 8 May 2026

Learning from what others do well can be effective if done properly. To improve your practices you can see what works for others and then abstract the principles for that success and then determine how to adopt those principles to your situation.

Myth: If You Can’t Measure It, You Can’t Manage It

Thu, 7 May 2026

Dr. Deming did very much believe in the value of using data to help improve the management of the organization. But he also knew that it wasn’t close to enough. There are many things that cannot be measured and still must be managed. And there are many things that cannot be measured and managers must still make decisions about.

I wrote a post on my Curious Cat Management Improvement blog about how to manage what you can’t measure (in 2010).

Who Inspires Your Management Thinking and Action?

Wed, 6 May 2026

My largest influence by far is my father, William Hunter. Here is a good example of why: Managing Our Way to Economic Success, Two Untapped Resources: potential information and employee creativity. In another post I also wrote about my early influences related to quality management as I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin.

From an early age I learned to experiment, appreciate and understand data, respect people and continually improve.

The Road Not Taken

Tue, 5 May 2026

Robert Frost was poking fun at his friend who would obsess over what fork to take in the path as they walked when in reality the choice made no difference.

And “that has made all the difference” is poking fun at self justifications of our actions; congratulating ourselves for doing something not really worthy of accolades.

Still the top three lines do seem like insightful advice. Of course what is really needed is insight into when choosing the road less traveled is wise (or at least a sensible gamble) and when it is less traveled for very good reasons.

Businesses Need to Capture Potential Information and Use the Creativity of Employees

Mon, 4 May 2026

My father wrote an article a long time ago on how to use ~"two resources, largely untapped in American organizations: potential information and employee creativity."

I think it provides worthwhile ideas.

A College Degree Isn't an Acceptable Hiring Screen

Sun, 3 May 2026

Our company had just hired a new HR person that started "showing their worth" with new rules such as the dictate that all hires must have a college degree. Thankfully our team agreed to hiring him was wise and the CIO decided that dictate was nonsense and we hired the applicant.

Quality Comes to City Hall

Sat, 2 May 2026

Changing to a culture that has a Deming perspective on customer focus is not easy. When you succeed though the way people think is profoundly changed. The City of Madison police department even did customer surveys for those they arrested and used the results to improve the process in ways that make sense. Obviously there are restrictions on what you can do to please those being arrested but this is really always the case – you can’t give all your products and services away for free even if that would make customers happy.

How to Start Applying Deming’s Ideas on Management

Fri, 1 May 2026

There are many different ways to start applying W. Edwards Deming’s ideas on management. There isn’t a cookbook on what should be done first. This is helpful in that you can avoid trying things that would be very difficult given the current state of your management system. However, it is also very challenging in that you have to decide what to do yourself instead of just following a recipe.

Root Cause - Addressing Systemic Causes Not Symptoms

Thu, 30 Apr 2026

It isn't that there is this "true root cause" that created the current problem. There is a way to look at the issue and find a deeper cause that will allow you to address it and improve the future performance of the system.

Depending on how you look at the problem there can be many different "root causes" that are sensible from their different perspectives. The important thing is by aiming to fix root/systemic problems you will not just treat the current symptom you are dealing with today but eliminate future problems from occurring.

Utopia (Dreamland in the USA) is an Amazing TV Program

Wed, 29 Apr 2026

Utopia is an amazing, biting, satirical look at modern office life at the Nation Building Authority of Australia.

Human Proof Design

Wed, 29 Apr 2026

Human proof design is design that prevents people from successful using the item.

It is similar to mistake proofing except instead of prevent mistakes it prevents people from using it.

When you see human proof design you will often see signs to tell people how to use the device that has been human proofed. Common instances of this are hotels that have shower designs so opaque they need instructions on how to use a device most people have no problem using if they are not human proofed.

Don’t Ignore Customer Complaints

Tue, 28 Apr 2026

If the complaint is not something that should be addressed or explored fine. But that has nothing to do with the category of the person (“complainer” or not); it has to do with the merit of the complaint.

Agile Software Development and Deming's Ideas

Mon, 27 Apr 2026

It's one of the reasons for "people over process" and all that; they believe that a software developer should be respected. Yes, they should. Factory workers should be respected, too. Everyone should be respected. That's what Deming was talking about. So then the idea that Deming was trying to impose on software developers some rigid controls that they shouldn't be subject to is not so. And not only wasn't he doing that, he wasn't doing that to factory workers either.

Strategy Based on Capability and Integrated with Execution

Sun, 26 Apr 2026

“Strategy” without a thorough understanding of the organization as a system or an understanding of the capabilities of the organization is little more than dreams. Planning and strategy without the capability in the organization or a process to turn strategy into action are not much use.

Take Advantage of the Strengths Each Person Brings to Work

Sat, 25 Apr 2026

Managers should be setting up the organization to take maximum advantage of the strengths of the people in the organization while minimizing the impact of weaknesses.

Children are Amazingly Creative At Solving Problems

Fri, 24 Apr 2026

“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge.” Daniel Boorstin

Children are Amazingly Creative At Solving Problems

Fri, 24 Apr 2026

Understanding the limits of our knowledge and our tendency to become rigid in our thinking can help us avoid blinding ourselves to options. Our brains overrule options without us consciously even knowing that is happening; it takes effort to overcome this tendency.

Root Cause, Interactions, Robustness and Design of Experiments

Thu, 23 Apr 2026

A single root cause is rare. Normally you can look at the question a bit differently see the scope a bit differently and get a different “root cause.” In my opinion “root cause” is more a decision about what is an effective way to improve the system right now rather than finding a scientifically valid “root cause.”

George Box Webcast on Statistical Design in Quality Improvement

Wed, 22 Apr 2026

There is great value in creating iterative processes with fast feedback to those attempting to design and improve. Box and Deming (with rapid turns of the PDSA cycle) and others promoted this 20, 30 and 40 years ago and now we get the same ideas tweaked for startups. The lean startup stuff is as closely related to Box’s ideas of experimentation as an iterative process as it is to anything else.

George Box Webcast on Statistical Design in Quality Improvement

Wed, 22 Apr 2026

With experimentation we are looking to find clues for what to experiment with next. Experimentation is an iterative process. This is very much the mindset of fast iteration and minimal viable product (say minimal viable experimentation as voiced in 1987).

There is great value in creating iterative processes with fast feedback to those attempting to design and improve.

George Box Webcast on Statistical Design in Quality Improvement

Wed, 22 Apr 2026

Practicing Mistake-Promoting Instead of Mistake-Proofing at Apple

Tue, 21 Apr 2026

Mistake proofing is a wonderful management concept. Design systems not just to be effective when everything goes right but designing them so mistakes are prevented.

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But guess what, the unnecessary steps Apple decided to force me through are broken so I can’t just waste my time to make them happy. No. They have created a failure point where they never should have forced the customer in the first place.

How to Build a Great Software Development Team

Mon, 20 Apr 2026

"Without confidence, honest debate about ideas is suppressed as people are constantly taking things personally instead of trying to find the best ideas (and if doing so means my idea is criticized that is ok).

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This is also one of many areas where the culture within the team was self reinforcing. As new people came on they understood this practice. They saw it in practice. They could see it was about finding good ideas and if their idea was attacked they didn’t take it nearly as personally as most people do in most places."

Why are We So Slow to Change?

Sun, 19 Apr 2026

In management we often seek the new new thing. So while great ideas take a long time to become common practice we stop looking at them fairly quickly because we decide they are old outdated ideas. Not a very effective strategy :-(

Risks Should be Taken Wisely

Sat, 18 Apr 2026

Accepting risk doesn't mean failure is good. And it doesn't mean the results of experiments are all blameless. You can do a poor job of taking risks. If that is done, we should learn from it and improve how we take risks going forward.

Lean v Innovation is a False Dichotomy

Fri, 17 Apr 2026

The whole idea that process improvement efforts are harmful to innovation frustrates me. It is due to misunderstanding what is labeled as process improvement. Lean isn't about just making whatever process exists less wasteful. Lean focuses on value added to customers but people forget that.

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Yes a think tank or research lab would not be served well by the same types of processes as a fast food restaurant. And a fast food restaurant wouldn't be served by the type of process improvement that would benefits a research lab.

Pilot on a Small Scale First - Good Advice We Often Ignore

Thu, 16 Apr 2026

Piloting on a small scale is best. It is what I recommend and encourage. I just think seeing the failure to pilot as a cause of the widespread problem is too simplistic. Why did we fail to pilot needs to be the next question - don't stop at the failure to pilot as the root cause. From there you will nearly always discover, unless maybe you are Toyota or the Kaizen Institute or something :-) that your organization consistently fails to pilot before adopting on a wide scale. Then you need to dive into that issue...

Early "Lean" Thinking

Wed, 15 Apr 2026

Here are some early reports (so early it preceded the lean terms widespread use). It also means the focus hasn't already been set by the Machine that Changed the World but it is the same stuff that those that studied in 1980, 1990, 2000 or 2013 saw - it is more about respect for people and using everyone's brain than any specific tool. And these articles have a bit more focus on using statistics and data than much of lean literature today (partially because George Box and Dad were statisticians and partially, in my opinion, because current lean literature is light on using data).

Mistake Proofing and Mistake Making Less Easy

Tue, 14 Apr 2026

Making it harder to make mistakes and making them more visible is good. Preventing them is even better.

Setting Goals Can Easily Backfire

Mon, 13 Apr 2026

I achieved my goal by not my aim. That happens a lot, we honestly translate aims to goals. And then we do stupid things in the name of the goal get it the way of the aim. We forget the aim sometimes and put the goal in its place.

Mike Tveite

Apply Management Improvement Principles to Your Situation

Sun, 12 Apr 2026

take principles first (and then tools) that are helpful and apply them to your situation/system. The business type will affect decisions (likely software businesses or hospitals will be more similar to those in their industry than others due to some features of that that of business) as will your specific organization.

If you design a system to have much more cross training of people then it will allow you to take advantage of that compared to another organization that instead focused more on specialization.

Give People Enough Rope (and the Right Rope) to Succeed

Sat, 11 Apr 2026

You want systems that let people take on challenges without too many restrictions but with enough support and training that you don't leave them hanging.

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the ropes should suit their situation. A tightrope over a chasm is fine for a trained acrobat with a balancing pole. It is foolish for someone without the right training or tools. They would be better served with something else - a rope bridge with railings.

But, That Won't Work Here

Fri, 10 Apr 2026

George Box, a good friend (and a close colleague to my father), put the problem of getting new ideas adopted this way (from Management Matters by John Hunter):

It won’t work
It won’t work here
I thought of it first

Change has to Start from the Top – Presentation by David Langford

Thu, 9 Apr 2026

You are the top of your system. Change your thinking, change your process – you change your system. As soon as you start to modify your system you are going to have an effect on the larger system: the way you organize, the way you manage what you do everyday, how you process the work that you are doing [will impact the larger system].

David Langford

Improving Problem Solving

Wed, 8 Apr 2026

suggest reading this excellent paper on Improving Problem Solving by Ian Bradbury and Gipsie Ranney. As they note, problem solving is not a substitute for innovation and improvement as solving a problem solving only returns you to the status quo. The paper also considers the relationship between problem solving and system improvement.

Knowing How to Manage People Is the Single Most Important Part of Management

Tue, 7 Apr 2026

The challenge with managing people is not that good sources on what is important don’t exist it is that far too often we make superficial application of management ideas and then give up and superficially try another management idea.

Learning from the gemba is important. But superficially visiting the gemba and doesn’t work. Without an understanding of how the components of a management system fit together and a long term commitment to create a management system that focuses on respect for people the organization fails to capture most of the gains possible with better management of people.

The Art of Discovery with George Box

Mon, 6 Apr 2026

Great video of George Box on the process improvement process.

94% Belongs to the System

Sun, 5 Apr 2026

I should estimate that in my experience most troubles and most possibilities for improvement add up to the proportions something like this: 94% belongs to the system (responsibility of management), 6% special.

Page 315 of Out of the Crisis by Dr. W. Edwards Deming.

Resources for Using the PDSA Cycle to Improve Results

Sat, 4 Apr 2026

"Using the PDSA cycle (plan-do-study-act) well is critical to building a effective management system..."