Kaoru Ishikawa
Quality Guru- Kaoru Ishikawa
Kaoru Ishikawa is a well-known quality guru. He is credited for the development of the seven quality control tools, including the cause and effect diagram; also known as the fishbone diagram. Ishikawa was born in Tokyo and was the oldest of eight sons. He attended university at the University of Tokyo and earned his Engineering Degree in Applied Chemistry; he later achieved his Doctorate of Engineering at the University of Tokyo.
Ishikawa began work in the engineering industry as a Naval Technical Officer working as an engineer. After the war, he moved on to work for Nissan Liquid Fuel Company. In 1947, he became a Professor at the University of Tokyo in the faculty of engineers. It was here that he discovered the seven tools of quality control. In 1971, Ishikawa joined the Board for the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) long after developing their first quality control course in 1949.
Ishikawa’s major influences were W. Edwards Deming and Joseph M. Juran. Deming was responsible for the development of the Plan-Do-Check-Act model that is widely used today. Ishikawa further developed this idea into the Quality Circle. A Quality Circle is a team of volunteers or staff that work together to identify problems in the workplace. They are widely effective with Toyota and Honda, and unfortunately are not used widely throughout North America. Juran developed the Pareto Principle which states that roughly 80% of effects come from about 20% of the causes. Ishikawa expanded on Juran’s principles, especially his development on continuous improvement.
“Quality control consists of developing, designing, producing, marketing, and servicing products and services with optimum cost-effectiveness and usefulness, which customers will purchase with satisfaction.”- Kaoru Ishikawa. Ishikawa understood what quality meant and how it could be applied to any industry; his development of the seven tools for quality control are key and
Kaoru Ishikawa is a well-known quality guru. He is credited for the development of the seven quality control tools, including the cause and effect diagram; also known as the fishbone diagram. Ishikawa was born in Tokyo and was the oldest of eight sons. He attended university at the University of Tokyo and earned his Engineering Degree in Applied Chemistry; he later achieved his Doctorate of Engineering at the University of Tokyo.
Ishikawa began work in the engineering industry as a Naval Technical Officer working as an engineer. After the war, he moved on to work for Nissan Liquid Fuel Company. In 1947, he became a Professor at the University of Tokyo in the faculty of engineers. It was here that he discovered the seven tools of quality control. In 1971, Ishikawa joined the Board for the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) long after developing their first quality control course in 1949.
Ishikawa’s major influences were W. Edwards Deming and Joseph M. Juran. Deming was responsible for the development of the Plan-Do-Check-Act model that is widely used today. Ishikawa further developed this idea into the Quality Circle. A Quality Circle is a team of volunteers or staff that work together to identify problems in the workplace. They are widely effective with Toyota and Honda, and unfortunately are not used widely throughout North America. Juran developed the Pareto Principle which states that roughly 80% of effects come from about 20% of the causes. Ishikawa expanded on Juran’s principles, especially his development on continuous improvement.
“Quality control consists of developing, designing, producing, marketing, and servicing products and services with optimum cost-effectiveness and usefulness, which customers will purchase with satisfaction.”- Kaoru Ishikawa. Ishikawa understood what quality meant and how it could be applied to any industry; his development of the seven tools for quality control are key and
References: 1. American Society for Quality, (2013). Retrieved on July 2, 2013 from http://asq.org/about-asq/who-we-are/index.html 2. Gemba Academy, (2010). Retrieved on July 2, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdhC4ziAhgY 3. Greg Watson, (2004). Retrieved on July 2, 2013 from http://www.gregoryhwatson.eu/images/6-QP_Watson_-_April2004_-_Legacy_of_Ishikawa.pdf 4. MindTools, (2013). Retrieved on July 2, 2013 from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_03.htm 5. Photo, (n.d.) Retrieved on July 2, 2013 from http://www.omicsonline.org/2153-2435/images/2153-2435-2-136-g005.gif 6. Wikipedia, (2013). Retrieved on July 2, 2013 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishikawa_diagram