Deming

12 Days to Deming. Why this is a must-do course for those looking at Quality, personal and organisational transformation.

I joined the post-course online meeting after 12 days (each day spread over a week, with a week off for Easter). It feels like a genuine accomplishment, especially as all of us participating were volunteers, including those running the course.

The Deming Dimension and 12 Days to Deming

For years I had Henry Neave’s book, The Deming Dimension (known now as DemDim through the course) and the free-to-download 12 Days to Deming course. The course had sat in my to-do list for a few years, had been recommended by my friends in the CQI Deming Network, but no shift! I needed something more to motivate me, and what better than a group online?

2025, I signed up to the 12DTD course coordinated by the New Zealand Organisation for Quality. Unfortunately, circumstances conspired against my joining the first few sessions, so I postponed until this year (I was nudged from a genuine place of care by the main facilitator as the course is intense and is difficult for anybody who falls behind).

2026 - The New Resolve

Entering 2026, I resolved to complete the program. Considering the time zones involved, the team organised for two sessions each week (Roosters and Owls). Ideally, I’d have joined the Owls group, more sensible had it not been for a clash with a weekly work meeting. So, I managed to wake up and join the Roosters call. Worth noting that the Owls and Roosters are based on the Australian time zone, but perhaps because of gravitational effects, I was an Owl in the guise of a Rooster. Each week, well worth the commitment.

Deming Deep Dive

Despite all my reading around Dr Deming, 12DTD took me to depths I could only dream of. Beyond the program itself created by Henry Neave, the weekly catch-ups, discussions and inspiration from other participants and the organisers made this the best experience I’ve found so far to deepen my learning.

The activity doesn’t end with the 12 days, but the team also support the Deming Alumni Group of Students (DAGS), with monthly webinars diving deeper into related topics. Time zone remains a challenge, but these are also recorded for asynchronous consumption, and not to be missed.

Find out more about the course and register for the next cohort here:

https://www.nzoq.org.nz/12-days-to-deming

The course itself is free of cost. Well, if you don't already know about unknown and unknowable figures, you will by the time you finish the course. It is a commitment, in time, managing the course work and contributing to the weekly discussions. All worthwhile and beyond the investment of effort.

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