14 Points of Deming – Total Quality Management

Quality is a core idea of effective management, leadership, and programs like Total
Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma. These programs accelerate a company to
reach its goal or success. Similarly, 14 points of Deming is a sub-programs under
TQM. It applies to any type and size of business. However, there are described the 14
points of Deming.

Table of Contents
 14 Points of Deming:
o 1. Create a Constant Purpose toward Improvement:
o 2. Adobe the New Philosophy:
o 3. Cease Dependence on Inspection to Achieve Quality:
o 4. Work with One Supplier:
o 5. Continuous Improvement:
o 6. On the Job Training:
o 7. Leadership:
o 8. Drive out fear:
o 9. Break down Silos:
o 10. No Slogan:
o 11. No Quotas or Numerical Goals:
o 12. Remove Annual Ratings or Merits System:
o 13. Institute of Education and Self-Improvement Programs:
o 14. Involve all Workers in the Transformation:

14 Points of Deming:

For transforming business effectiveness, 14 points of Deming are the key principles to
managers. These key principles were first presented in his book Out of the Crisis.
Although Deming does not use the title in his book, it ascribes with taking off
the Total Quality Management movement. However, these 14 points of Deming are:-
1. Create a constant purpose toward improvement
2. Adopt the new philosophy
3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality
4. Work with one supplier
5. Continuous improvement
6. On-the-job training
 7. Leadership
8. Drive out fear
9. Break down silos
10. No slogans
11. No quotas or numerical goals
12. Remove annual ratings or merits system
13. Institute of education and self-improvement programs
14. Involve all workers in the transformation
There are shortly described bellow all 14 points of Deming so that each one can
understand properly. After that, an individual enriches himself to implement in
business strategy.

14 Points of Deming – Total Quality Management

Read: Scientific Management Theory

1. Create a Constant Purpose toward Improvement:

Firstly, the creation of a constant purpose toward improvement is the most important
key of the 14 points of Deming. A long-term plan is essential for quality. It resists
reacting the short-term solutions. So, strategic management should find better things
to do, instead of the same things. So, it requires to predict and prepare for future
challenges, and always have the goal of getting better.
2. Adobe the New Philosophy:
Secondly, adobe the new philosophy is one of the 14 points of Deming. It embraces
quality throughout the organization. It puts the customers’ needs first, rather than react
to competitive pressure. And design products & services to meet those needs.
Additionally, It prepares for a major change in the way business is done. It’s about
leading, not simply managing. And, Creates your quality vision, and implement it.

3. Cease Dependence on Inspection to Achieve Quality:

Inspections are costly and unreliable. They don’t improve quality. They merely find a
lack of quality. In process builds quality from start to finish. It doesn’t just find what
arose wrong or eliminate the “wrongs” altogether. Therefore, it uses statistical control
methods – not physical inspections alone – to prove that the process is working.

4. Work with One Supplier:

Quality relies on consistency. The less disparity you have in the contribution, the less
disparity you’ll have in the result. In quality, look at suppliers as your partners. This
principle of 14 points of Deming encourages them to spend time improving their own
quality. They shouldn’t take part in your business based on charge alone. This point
analyzes the total cost to you, not just the initial cost of the product. And, uses quality
statistics to ensure that suppliers meet your quality standards.

5. Continuous Improvement:

Continuously improvement systems and processes must be absorbed. Deming

promoted the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check and Act) approach to process analysis and
improvement, firstly. It emphasizes training and education so everyone can do their
jobs better. Secondly, KAIZEN is another model to reduce waste and to improve
safety, effectiveness, and productivity.

6. On the Job Training:

On the job uses training for consistency to help reduce variation. It builds a
foundation of common knowledge. Training allows workers to understand their roles
in the “big picture.” It encourages staff to learn from one another. Using training on
the job provides a culture and environment for effective teamwork.

7. Leadership:

Leadership is another key point of the 14 points of Deming. It expects your managers
and supervisors to understand the processes and the workers they use. Leadership
doesn’t simply supervise – provide support and resources so that each staff member
can do his or her best. So, it runs a coach instead of a policeman. It figures out what
each person actually needs to do his or her best. according to this key point, it
emphasizes the importance of transformational leadership and participative
management. Leadership finds ways to reach full potential, and don’t just focus on
meeting targets and quotas.

8. Drive out fear:

Each management should allow individuals to perform at their best by ensuring that
they’re not afraid to express ideas or concerns. Everyone knows that the goal is to
achieve high quality by doing more things right. And, anybody does not interest in
blaming people when mistakes happen. So, management should create such a
situation so that workers can feel valued, and encourage them to look for better ways
to do things. And also ensures that your leaders are approachable and that they work
with teams to act in the company’s best interests. For that reason, it uses open and
honest communication to remove fear from the organization.

9. Break down Silos:

Break down barriers between departments, is an important principle of the 14 points

of Deming. By supporting this procedure, builds the “internal customer” concept –
recognize that each department or function serves other departments that use their
output. It uses cross-functional teamwork to build understanding and reduce
adversarial relationships. So, it focuses on collaboration and consensus instead of
compromise.

10. No Slogan:

Management should inform their people exactly what you want – don’t make them
guess. “Excellence in service” is memorable and short, but what does it mean? How is
it achieved? The message is clearer in a slogan like “You can do better if you try.”
Management should create space for employees so that they can use words and nice-
sounding phrases to replace effective leadership. So, management must outline own
expectations and then praise people face-to-face for doing good work.

11. No Quotas or Numerical Goals:

We should look at how the process is carried out, not just numerical targets. The
proponent of the 14 points of Deming, he said that creation targets inspire high output
and low quality. And, also provides support and resources so that production levels
and quality are high and achievable. So, management measures the process rather than
the people behind the process.

12. Remove Annual Ratings or Merits System:

This principle of the 14 points of Deming, motivate to remove annual rating or merit
system. It allows everyone to take pride in their work without being rated or
compared. This key point treats workers the same, and don’t make them compete with
other workers for monetary or other rewards.

13. Institute of Education and Self-Improvement Programs:

Educational institutes and self-improvement programs improve the current skills of

workers. This initiative encourages people to learn new skills to prepare for future
changes and challenges. Additionally, it builds skills to make your staff easier to alter,
and better able to detect and attain improvements.
14. Involve all Workers in the Transformation:

Finally, the 14 points of Deming involve all workers in the transformation in the job
environment. Thus, principles try to improve the overall organization by having each
person take a step toward quality. And, analyzes each small step, and understand how
it fits into the larger picture. Therefore, Deming suggested using effective change
management principles to introduce the new philosophy and ideas in 14 points of
Deming.
In conclusion, 14 points of Deming is a radical effect in the business world. In other
words, these principles are the accelerator of the implementation process of TQM.