ABSTRACT
Organizations design systems with the intent of achieving specific results, and they select tools to support those systems. The scope of a system can be as big as the universe or as small as a gas pump. In an organization, systems are generally created one by one without regard for each other. According to William Edwards, the key to understanding a system is to understand how each component of a system connects to the other components. Most organizations have a management system, though the leaders are generally defined by their place in the organization rather than their connections to the work systems. Fewer organizations have a consistently implemented company-wide integrated improvement system. Successful organizations thoughtfully design their systems to produce a culture of sustainable excellence. The Shingo Model teaches that all work in organizations is the outcome of a system. Systems must be designed to produce a specific end goal, otherwise they evolve on their own.
