There is a foreboding rise in paternalism and authoritarianism. In the Garden of Quality, our world has turned upside down. We've progressed from allowing technology to drive business and business to drive society, to subsuming technology to human and biospheric well-being. Most large institutions are fraying, giving way to fluid, evolving, human-centered systems based on trust and mutual benefit. Quality is embedded in every sphere of activity.
People work within affined communities to pursue common goals for human betterment.
The implications None of these scenarios is intended to describe precisely how the future will unfold. But scenario planning provides a context in which to weigh the implications of an unknown but not entirely unpredictable future. The need for quality and statistical expertise will continue in the foreseeable future, but fewer quality professionals may be needed. Quality professionals can't afford to be passive, but must establish personal development plans to help them gain a broader understanding of business and the technical skills to serve them in the 21st century. ASQ must examine its structure, systems, and style of operation to determine what it must do to prepare to serve its members.