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Red Bead Experiment with Dr. W. Edwards Deming

The Deming Institute · 231.4K views · 2014-02-25 · 9:01

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Overview

Excerpts from W. Edwards Deming's Red Bead Experiment, where workers draw beads from a bowl and are judged on red ones that are largely down to chance. It shows how system variation, not individual effort, drives results.

On Hacker News

HN cites it as a classic illustration of dysfunctional management, gamed targets, and blaming workers for systemic outcomes.

Recommended by 1 HN people across 1 months · HN mentions 2016–2025

Topics

Management, leadership & organizationsData science & statistics
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demingred bead experimentquality managementmetricsvariation

What people said

jdietrich · 2016-01 · Recommendation

A similar example regarding quality is Dr Deming's famous Red Bead Experiment. It is a fascinating insight into how dysfunctional management systems operate and perpetuate. [VIDEO]

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GarnetFloride · 2025-09 · Reference

Oh man, that's what I've been smelling with all this. It's the Red Bead Experiment, all over again. [VIDEO]

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ericalexander0 · 2022-01 · Reference

Given enough time. Yes, your surgeon has this attitude. Any system with a grade will be gamified to hit arbitrary targets. Even if those targets do not map back to customer value. Even if the targets are out of their control. Aka red beads. [VIDEO] “Tell me how you will measure me, and then I will tell you how I will behave. If you measure me in an illogical way, don’t complain about illogical behavior.” – Eli Goldratt

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Sources

Video by The Deming Institute, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

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