Rohloff also points out that the user of DOE software is changing dramatically. Fifteen years ago, the typical user would be a senior engineer who would work in conjunction with a statistical consultant. Today, entry-level engineers can use DOE software with minimum training. The search for tools to help workers practice TQM continues to grow as all of the easy answers, 'the low hanging fruit,' have been found, leaving only the most complex and difficult problems to be solved. Burns sees the need to deliver information via corporate intranets becoming more important in the future.
Students can learn from where they work, simply by clicking on an icon on a web page.
He also stresses that it is not good enough simply to transfer written material to the computer. It is the interactivity, in games and exercises, so students can have fun while they learn. TQM is here to stay, Savage says. Quality improvement, regardless of what it is called in a given decade, is not going away. Whether it is known as CQI, PI, TQM or Six Sigma, the emphasis continues to be on improvement of processes and products to meet customer expectations.