Dr. Deming deveolped many experiments that he used to portray the truths of his theories. None has had as much impact on his audience as the one he called “a stupid experiment, that you will never forget.” The Red Bead Experiment has a way of creeping up on you. It starts out innocently enough, as workers, inspectors, a master inspector are chosen from the audience. Dr. Deming reserved for himself the position of foreman. The job was to make white beads. The workers did this by drawing 50 beads at a time in a specially made “scoop” from a bin with white beads and some red beads. This is all great fun, with workers drawing differing numbers of red beads, each draw recorded on a control chart. After each round Dr. Deming would start his tongue in cheek berating of the employees that drew the most red beads. At the same time he heaped praise on the workers that drew the least. This goes back and forth as Deming had to withdraw his praise from workers who “lost” their positions to other workers.

The lesson of the Red Beads is very powerful. Summed up, it is that no worker can perform above the level allowed by the system he or she works under. The experiment opens the eyes of all who see it to the “fact” of variation.

You can buy the official “Red Bead Box Game” from me or from this link. The cost for the game and the companion DVD is $194.95. Every new employee needs to sit in on the game as a participant or spectator.  This is the official game authorized by Dr. Deming and sold by Mike Johnson, formerly of Hewlett Packard where the game was first produced. Mike Johnson is in his own right, a well known Quality Management consultant.

“Alan Pippenger is a very good man to know. I trust Alan. I have had a successful home and business improvement firm since 1988. We have 15 full time employees and hundreds of customers.”

“Alan has mentored and coached me on how to improve our systems and processes for delivery of our services. From his instruction we have learned better ways to teach our employees to do great work consistently. This leads to more business with fewer re-dos. The result has been happier customers. Overall when you have better quality your costs go way down and your customers become your best sales people. Alan has helped RiverKing Custom Painting to be a better resource to people.” “Thanks Alan!”

“I did not think improvement could be so easy or inexpensive. Call Alan if your business is not doing everything you want it to do. Alan can help.”

John Steymeyer, President

RiverKing Custom Painting