W. Edwards Deming developed his classic Red Bead Experiment to demonstrate variation in processes. He demonstrated the ridiculousness of trying to manage out the “common cause” variation inherent in any process by showing that the number of Red Beads produced, representing process defects for a shift, was independent of any management exhortations or slogans. 

Instead, the path to true process improvement lies in understanding and controlling the sources of variation. 

The Red Bead Experiment kit is an affordable and interactive activity demonstrating common cause variation in processes.

• Requires no software or batteries to run
• Participants will understand first-hand the nature of variability and how to control it.
• Worksheets and data collection forms are a free download
• Analysis presentation from actual class results helps present concepts to the class

The companion workbook is available separately with proven exercises to maximize the learning from this kit.

For even more learning, the Blue Bead Experiment, available exclusively through CICS as a companion to the Red Bead Experiment, shows the effects on a process with reduced variability in performance, due to a reduced number of “defects” in the process as a result of CI activities.

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