Quality Without Control Charts

(Place soapbox down, hop up, start babbling like an idiot...)

You may not have noticed there was an article in the Smithsonian magazine this month that suggests Finland is better at educating students than (shock, horror) the United States.¹ Without control charts, or standardized test, or competition.Clearly something is seriously wrong.

So what are the Finns doing? I think they are

1. Focusing on long term outcomes - the Finns are focused on a very specific well defined goal. If it were written out it would look something like: Prepare our children to be contributing members of Society.
2. Investing in preparation - Finnish teachers spend more time preparing and less time teaching
3. Completing long term tasks - Finnish teachers move with a class often teaching the same students for years.
4. Letting the people doing the work design the work - Finnish teachers have guidelines not mandated curricula. This means they can tailor the class room experience to their own strengths and the needs of their children.

Can you run a business without control charts? Can it be a high performing quality business? Why don't we?

(Step off soapbox, pick up, quietly leave...)

Sources:

1. Why Are Finland's Schools Successful? LynNell Hancock, Smithsonian magazine, September 2011