Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge : How Deming Helped Win a War, Altered the Face of Industry, and Holds the Key to Our Future

“John Willis has looked deep into Dr. Deming's history and teachings and profoundly explains his profound knowledge. Read this book and you will understand like never before the wisdom and sound advice of Dr. Deming.” —Jeffrey K. Liker, author of The Toyota Way

“A thoroughly entertaining and educational look at Deming, a man whose insights are fundamental to modern software development. This book includes delightful stories of those around Deming who influenced his work and helped create the foundation for agile and DevOps.” —Jim Whitehurst, Senior Advisor at IBM

From the birth of modern industry to winning WWII to Japan's Economic Miracle, W. Edwards Deming helped shape some of the most profound moments in modern history. Deming, an American engineer and statistician, is widely recognized for his contributions to the field of quality management. But his teachings go beyond quality management; they influence not only how we work today, but also how we can continue to succeed in the future.

Part business history, part biography, part journey into deep business sense, bestselling author John Willis captures the full picture of Deming's life and influence. Most importantly, Willis reveals the experiences that led to Deming's greatest discovery: the System of Profound Knowledge, a collection of fundamental truths that show how any system or process can be transformed into something greater.

From the real-life Rosie the Riveter to a hacker writing US cybersecurity law, Deming's ingenuity and system of thinking changed how we think in the modern world. This book shows how we can take that influence and continue to apply it our own future.

“Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge is a must-read for any student of Lean, Agile, quality, the Toyota Production System, and continuous improvement—or any leader who seeks to create a culture of excellence in their organization.”

—Katie Anderson, author of LearningtoLead, LeadingtoLearn

John Willis is an author and technologist. John is considered one of the founders of the DevOps movement. He is the coauthor of The DevOps Handbook, Beyond The Phoenix Project, and Investments Unlimited. He lives in Acworth, GA.