Poor Deming never stood a chance

Deming vs. Drucker and OKRs

• Several commenters contrast Deming’s “scientific”, systems-based approach with Drucker’s more prescriptive “installation guide” style.
• Deming is described as strategy and underlying theory; Drucker as tactics and recipes that are easier for managers with limited process knowledge.
• Some argue Drucker-style management and MBO/OKRs naturally produce “every metric becomes a target” pathologies, even though Drucker later disavowed MBO and OKR literature warns against it.
• One critique of the article is that it treats Deming too superficially and compares him unfairly to Drucker, who comes from a different tradition (management science vs. industrial statistics and systems).

Statistical Process Control, Metrics, and Misuse

• Deming’s core ideas cited: processes create outcomes; distinguish common vs. special cause variation; focus on reducing overall variation instead of chasing outliers.
• Practical guidance and reading lists for learning Deming and applied statistics are shared; control charts are highlighted as powerful at separating signal from noise.
• Multiple people complain that in real companies “data-driven” management is often a veneer: bad metrics, no baselines, short time horizons, and demand for quick PowerPoint stories.
• There’s debate over whether line workers should directly own SPC: some say Deming intended simple tools workers can use; others argue you still need statistical specialists.

Beyond Manufacturing: Can Deming Apply to Engineering and Software?

• One view: Deming/SPC should be limited to manufacturing; engineering work is too chaotic, and imposing SPC adds stress without improving quality.
• Others strongly disagree, pointing to large software projects and distributed systems where process control, queueing theory, and Deming-style feedback are essential.
• Examples of software-relevant metrics (PR size, CI time, deployment cadence, tech-debt effort) are offered, but critics note it’s hard to find metrics that truly reflect “product quality” or “delivery effectiveness”.

Management Culture, Incentives, and Workers

• Commenters link Deming’s failure in the U.S. to short-term financial focus, quarterly targets, and a culture that optimizes for headcount reduction and OKR theater rather than long-term quality.
• Toyota-style bottom-up improvement is seen as incompatible with Western job insecurity and weak incentives for long tenure.
• Several stress Deming’s emphasis on trusting and equipping workers, eliminating numerical quotas, and fostering pride in workmanship—arguing that current corporate and shareholder practices systematically prevent such leadership from taking root.