In February 1990, W. Edwards Deming traveled to Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) in Danbury, Connecticut, to deliver three lectures: an afternoon session with students, immediately followed by one with faculty and staff of the business school, followed by an evening lecture open to the general public.

Deming, a self-described “consultant in statistical studies” approaching 90 years of age, was invited to WCSU a year earlier, yet lacked an opening in his demanding travel schedule for an appearance at the university until a year later. Throughout the day, I joined several hundred attendees for an introduction to Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge, the name he chose for his theory of management, yet deferred to each audience with a kind request, “If you have a better name, please help me.”

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