The Quality Gurus

Over the years, several individuals have made significant contributions to the field of quality management, earning them the title of "quality gurus."

Here are some of the most influential quality gurus: 

 

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• W. Edwards Deming: Known for the Deming Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) and his 14 points for management, Deming emphasized the importance of continuous improvement and the role of top management in achieving quality. 

 

• Walter Shewart: Shewhart Cycle (PDC): Plan-Do-Check, later Deming would perfect it transforming it into PDCA. "The basic methodological process to ensure the fundamental activities of continuous improvement, maintenance, and used for a variety of approaches: Plan-Do-Check, Act", and Statistical Process Control (SPC). 

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• Joseph M. Juran: Juran's trilogy consisted of quality planning, quality control, and quality improvement. He is best known for the "Juran Quality Handbook" and for introducing the concept of the "cost of poor quality." 

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• Philip B. Crosby: Crosby is famous for his book "Quality is Free" and for introducing the concept of "zero defects." He emphasized that organizations should aim for perfection instead of accepting a certain level of defects. 

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• Kaoru Ishikawa: Known for the Ishikawa or fishbone diagram (cause-and-effect diagram), which helps identify root causes of a problem. He was a key promoter of quality circles and believed in involving all employees in quality improvement efforts. 

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• Armand V. Feigenbaum: Introduced the concept of Total Quality Control and emphasized the importance of integrating quality into every facet of the business, from design to after-sales service. 

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• Genichi Taguchi: Focused on design quality and the concept of robust design, which ensures products are consistent in quality regardless of external factors. He introduced the Taguchi methods and loss function. 

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• Shigeo Shingo: Known for his contributions to the Toyota Production System and the development of concepts like Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) and poka-yoke (mistake-proofing). 

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• Taiichi Ohno: Often considered the father of the Toyota Production System, which later became Lean Manufacturing. He introduced concepts like Just-In-Time (JIT) production, kanban, and the seven wastes. 

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Each of these gurus brought unique perspectives and methodologies to the quality movement, influencing various industries, and shaping modern practices in quality management and continuous improvement. 

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