Other topics
Historical factors
The 'quality movement' has had a limited impact on education. There are several historical reasons for this. The first is that its early literature was developed in the context of manufacturing especially in the context of WWII shipbuilding. Post-war it was used to re-develop the Japanese economy with great effect and this led to its uptake by industrial, commercial and military organizations. From this basis, quality management was presented to the public as Total Quality Management, and still with a strong industrial and commercial emphasis.
The success of TQM (and other derivatives of Deming's teachings) was based on the fact that it provided tools for management: for knowing what was happening and for enabling informed responses to be made. These tools were based on sound theory supplemented by a complementary philosophy that could be used to ensure the success and wellbeing of the people in the organizations.
1. Industrial/commercial perspective
From the industrial/commercial perspective success was about acting ON processing things with the help of materials, tools and processes with all their readily measurable attributes, to produce wealth. Thus the perspective of these users was, and in many cases still is focused almost exclusively on the Deming management method as interpreted for working ON things...
'Quality Management' = Tools* (+ theory (+ philosophy)) -> Success
* These tools came to be dominated by statistical devices to help manage processes.
On the other hand the challenge of education is focused on the development people and their less easily measured attributes. The attributes, measurement and value of human development are even more problematic.
2. An educational perspective
Success in education is about working WITH people. Thus educators may have been open to the possibilities of Deming's teachings if it was presented with the prime focus on the philosophy (supplemented by the theory and tools that go with it ). For education...
'Quality management' = Philosophy (+ theory (+tools)) -> Success
The educational value of the philosophy is that it focuses attention on enabling people to be successful in their own rights and highlights the significance of collaboration in learning - something that is still greatly undervalued within schooling despite overwhelming confirmation from the past century of educational research.
The educational value of the theory highlights the nature of systems, the principles (14 points) and strategies (continuous improvement of processes) to be used, and the pitfalls (deadly diseases) to be avoided and so on. All of which are potentially valuable to people in education. Reduction of waste and rework are critical to schools because of its potential to release scarce resources for reinvestment in the school: releasing resources is often the only way to 'acquire additional resources'.
The most valuable tools for schools (at least initially) are not necessarily statistical. They are tools such as
- flow charts that enable people to understand what they do, how they do it and where it fits into the scheme of things: this provides a sound and easily shared basis for collaboration
- Similarly cause and effect diagrams can be used to bring order to complex situations and to identify the opportunities for action
- ... .
In schools, continuous improvement should not just be a management technique - rather it needs to become an aspect of the organisational culture: something that everyone (staff, students, families...) can contribute to. This works!!
Through the others' eyes
Too often the well-meaning and highly successful users of 'quality management' have failed to see how they have been selective in drawing on Deming's work to meet their needs in the own field of endeavour. It is as if they (unconsciously) believe that "We have been successful" and "we used quality management" and so that must mean that "we know about quality management".
Many times industrial and commercial practitioners have failed to communicate the value of Deming's teachings to education because they tried to communicate the tools (and the wrong ones) instead of starting with WED's philosophy.
They also failed to translate from one context to the another: I have heard experienced 'quality' practitioners speak of schools having employers as clients, that is, schools should be able to supply students as employees for employers. A better understanding of this matter would be that
- schools have students as their clients, and
- students have employers as potential future clients,
- thus schools should help to ensure the success of students by equipping them to contribute value to the employers with whom the students choose to engage.
A message to educators
Do not assume that any representative of the quality movement has sufficient understanding to be your guide, after all they are likely to have little experience in education. Trust your judgement. The teachings of WE Deming have much to offer you: select the parts that will help you and those you serve!!
Have fun and do well and make it easier or others to do the same (the quality imperatives)!!