tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36118108.post8933269968275723402..comments2023-12-06T00:17:28.519-08:00Comments on Creative Chaos: Quality Metrics (...and other Fine Myths)Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05956714498778698672noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36118108.post-68549870602764412832011-08-02T12:27:37.353-07:002011-08-02T12:27:37.353-07:00Matthew, I must agree with Cindy--but perhaps I ca...Matthew, I must agree with Cindy--but perhaps I can draw some useful analogies. My ulterior motive: How would we explain Baldrige in Education to Reed Hastings (Purify, Netflix, now Dept of Ed Equity Commission).<br /><br />Consider a hypothetical teacher with two dozen asynchronous, polymorphic objects. Her goal is not merely they fulfill their "roles," but that the whole be greater than the sum of the (two dozen) parts. These objects need to "lase." <br /><br />When we test the system, though, there's lots of dead code. It turns out methods aren't called reliably (brains aren't CPU chips). We can improve reliability by increasing the Bloom's taxonomy level of our polymorphic objects--and they will be more likely to lase.<br /><br />We also need to think through call graphs and apply design patterns with insight. The curricular equivalent is identifying power standards.<br /><br />So Pewaukee is addressing an unreliable system by identifying the source of dead code and refactoring the system. It's an impressive effort.<br /><br />Do these analogies help?Ericnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36118108.post-37236806148061047282011-04-19T06:14:09.073-07:002011-04-19T06:14:09.073-07:00Fascinating. I'm not sure where Cindy got tho...Fascinating. I'm not sure where Cindy got those metrics, but I'm going to start an email dialogue with her to talk about them.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05956714498778698672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36118108.post-89694569405051918162011-04-17T16:56:32.563-07:002011-04-17T16:56:32.563-07:00Hi Matt, this entry is to express a concern and m...Hi Matt, this entry is to express a concern and make a recommendation about blogging about “A View from the Q” blog entries. <br /><br />I appreciate your positions about quality metrics, making sure metrics make sense, the use of numerical targets, having goals related to outcomes and the importance of connecting processes to outcomes in school systems. Here is my concern. In my reading of the information on the school district’s website, I found that the Pewaukee School District has both process and outcome goals. Furthermore, to win the state’s highest Baldrige-like award for performance excellence, i.e. the 2010 Governor’s Forward Award of Excellence, is a significant district achievement and indicates to me that this district has connected process goals to outcomes and has a continuous improvement culture that is student-focused. <br /><br />Briefly, as an example of the outcomes that this school district is achieving, it has reported a 98% graduation rate; this compares to an 89% state graduation rate (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction) and a 75% national rate (National Center for Education Statistics). A high school graduation rate of 98% only occurs when there is a student-focused, systems approach to education. I wish all school districts were doing this well!<br /><br />I personally would like to see all of us encourage more school districts and colleges to consider using the Baldrige Education Criteria framework in their continuous improvement plans. http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/publications/education_criteria.cfm<br /><br />As I indicated, I would like to make a recommendation. I know of two other blog entries by other ASQ “influential voices” bloggers who discussed the latest “A View from the Q” blog entry in their separate blogs. I would like to recommend that you comment inline to Paul Borawski’s blog on entries related to his blog. Then a much more robust conversation of issues related to each topic would develop. It is from conversations like this, that more progress will be made. <br /><br />One final thought, if you have not heard of ASQ’s NQEC “quality in education” conference, check it out. <br /><br />Cindy Veenstra <br />ASQ Education Division Chair<br />cpveenst@umich.eduCindy Veenstranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36118108.post-60910252792198048212011-04-12T08:38:56.448-07:002011-04-12T08:38:56.448-07:00thank you, Matt, for an insightful and useful post...thank you, Matt, for an insightful and useful post. I think you have begun to see the fundamental nature of the problem, in education, and in any effort to improve the results of a human-designed process. What Deming saw, what Seddon saw, and what you see now, are the underlying true nature of our organizations and processes. We can only "manage" and "control" those systems and processes which are fundamentally linear and deterministic. <br /><br />So, we can achieve statistical control and stability in the complicated technical system/processes of building a Toyota. But as you noted in your post, there are complex system dynamics that can not be managed or controlled in this way. These require shifts in structure, beliefs, and behaviors- much harder to influence and control.<br /><br />Also if I may, a word about your opening lines- regarding your perception of "waste" in various sectors of the economy. Having worked as a change leader for many years in predominantly public organizations, I learned the lessons that Deming, Shewhart, and others tried to teach us- knowing the mind of the customer is often hard, and often variable. Moreover, what we define as "wasteful" or non-value added activity, depends on what we define as the important objectives of the system. And THAT depends on one's values and beliefs. In education, as you reference, we all generally want "better learning" for our kids. But data (thank you again, Dr. Deming) make clear that student results on standardized tests is NOT an indicator of "teacher quality." <br /><br />Thank you again, and I look forward to reading more of your posts in behalf of ASQ.<br /><br />Bruce Waltuck,<br />M.A., Complexity, Chaos, and Creativity<br />President, Freethinc...For A Change<br />Past Chair, Government Division, ASQ<br />@complexified on twitterBruce Waltuckhttp://complexified.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com