Kaizen Song: Mr. Pareto

By Jon Miller | Post Date: July 10, 2008 10:03 AM | Comments: 3

This one was inspired by hearing Mr. Roboto on the radio shortly after helping a team make good use of Mr. Pareto's chart and related 80-20 principle during a lean implementation planning session. What else rhymes with "kilroy"?

Mr. Pareto (to the music of Mr. Roboto by Styx)

Domo arigato, Mr. Pareto,
Bara tsuku suuchi de
Domo arigato, Mr. Pareto,
Hosoku wo shiri tai

We're wondering what’s gone wrong, machine or man error again
Special or common cause
Our charts and control plans, we do not understand

A labor variance, we've been hiding, as consulting fees
To err is human, our action checking, for high PPM
So if you find things, lost in MRB, don't be surprised
We're just a plant that can't afford to be stopping the line
Keep shipments on-time, keep them on-time
Non-conforming parts, we sweep them aside

These are not defects, without causation, we have to go see
He came to help us, see our problems, as eighty-twenty
We'll aim for zero, process failures, and we'll check as we go
We're just a plant whose, process limits, went beyond our control
Because our controls, were line-end controls
Quality control, means built-in controls

A great Italian, who taught us how to ask
Gave us the principle, of factor scarcity

Domo arigato Mr. Pareto, domo domo
Domo arigato Mr. Pareto, domo domo
Domo arigato Mr. Pareto, domo domo

Thank you very much, Mr. Pareto
For breaking the faults down to few factors
And thank you very much, Mr. Pareto
For reducing the escaped defects to the customer
Thank you, thank you, thank you
We want to thank you, please, thank you

The problem's plain to see: the trivial many
Your charts help analyze, and to prioritize

The answer’s down to stats
And prioritized tasks
So now we can achieve
Process stability
To enjoy, we enjoy, we enjoy, we enjoy!

You probably wouldn't have like Vilfredo Pareto as a person. He developed his theories while attempting to prove that income in Europe was "unfairly" distributed. He was a thorough communist and his 80/20 "rule" was derived from his hypothesis that 80% of the wealth in Europe was controlled by 20% of the population--and that was, of course, unfair. He would roll over in his grave if he knew what we capitalist oppressors had done with his work!

Poster: Too Much Time on My Hands | Post Date: July 11, 2008 4:46 AM

That's interesting. Ironically, we in the U.S. are now at the point where top 1% control 90% of the wealth, according to recent studies. Pareto's law fails here.

Poster: Jon Miller | Post Date: July 13, 2008 2:47 AM

I have read that if you have money in the bank--even a little--and spare change in your pocket you are in the top 20% worldwide.

Poster: TMTOMH | Post Date: July 14, 2008 5:35 AM

Comments are moderated to filter spam and inappropriate content. There may be a delay before your comment is published.