John Seddon
Encyclopedia
John Seddon is a British occupational psychologist, author and "management
guru
", specialising in the service industry. He is lead consultant of Vanguard, a consultancy company he formed in 1985 and the inventor of 'The Vanguard Method
'.
He is known for adapting the Toyota Production System
and the work of W. Edwards Deming
and Taiichi Ohno
into a methodology called 'The Vanguard Method
' for improving performance in service industries. He describes Deming's and Ohno's work as "systems thinking
", as opposed to the top-down rigid "management thinking" (or "Command and Control" thinking) that predominates most service industries today. He is particularly critical of target-based management, and of basing decisions on economies of scale
, rather than "economies of flow".
John Seddon discovered the concept of 'failure demand
' which he defined as 'demand caused by a failure to do something or do something right for the customer'. He makes the distinction between 'failure demand' - demand caused by a failure to do something or do something right for the customer and 'value demand' - what the service exists to provide. Failure Demand represents a common type of waste found in service organizations.
John Seddon has published four books. In his 2008 book, Systems Thinking in the Public Sector, he provided a fundamental criticism of the UK Government reform programme and advocated its replacement by systems thinking. Over 10,000 central and local government officials, policy makers and public service leaders (in health, education, policing and housing, for example) have so far bought Seddon's 2008 book – and many more have read it.
Seddon won the first Management Innovation Prize for 'Reinventing Leadership' in October 2010. As a result, he spoke on a panel at the World Innovation Forum
on 7 June 2011.
The Times
described Seddon as a management consultant, but unlike most "should not be dismissed as another consultant with a product to sell" due to a "high standing in the sector". It called to attention Seddon's disdain for the Audit Commission
's council star ratings system; he points out that "Haringey Council was rated 4-star at the time of Victoria Climbié
and Baby P's deaths".
(Hons) in Psychology
with the
University of Wales
in 1974, and graduated with a MSc
in
occupational psychology from the University of London
in
1977.
Accessed 3 August 2007.
He has been awarded the title of honorary visiting professor at both
the Lean Enterprise Research Centre at the University of Cardiff
2007. and at the University of Derby
's Derbyshire Business
School.
October 2010.
Seddon launched a short manifesto in June 2009 calling for the Audit Commission
and the rest of what he called the 'specifications industry' to be cut.
His call prompted a row on the Local Government Chronicle
(LGC) website with David Walker, Managing Director, Communications & Reporting, at the Audit Commission, who responded strongly. The debate attracted a record number of comments from online readers, and broke the record for the number of visitors to an LGC article.
The debate was also covered in newspapers including The Times
, which featured it on 31 July 2009.
Seddon wrote an open letter dated 31 January 2011 calling for the Rt. Hon Iain Duncan Smith
and Lord Freud, the ministers responsible for Welfare Reform, to "halt the current programme of reorganisation associated with the Single Universal Credit and embark on a better course". In the letter, he says "This campaign is not about the concept of the Single Universal Credit as such. It is about the design and implementation of its delivery". He says the weakness in the proposals for online and call centre delivery of the new Single Universal Credit is the "continuing unquestioning faith in economies of scale". A petition was started on the Government e-petitions site as part of the campaign on 18th August 2011. The petiton calls for Iain Duncan Smith
to rethink the centralised IT-dominated service design of Universal Credit
.
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
", specialising in the service industry. He is lead consultant of Vanguard, a consultancy company he formed in 1985 and the inventor of 'The Vanguard Method
The Vanguard Method
The Vanguard Method is a method used by service organisations to change from a command and control to a systems approach to the design and management of work. The method was invented by the occupational psychologist Professor John Seddon who began his career researching the reasons for failures of...
'.
Management consultancy
Seddon has grown to prominence as a management consultant following attacks on current British management thinking including: the belief in economies of scale, quality standards such as ISO9000 and much of public sector reform including 'deliverology', the use of targets, inspection and centralised control of local services. The Daily Telegraph described him as a "reluctant management guru", with a background in clinical psychology.He is known for adapting the Toyota Production System
Toyota Production System
The Toyota Production System is an integrated socio-technical system, developed by Toyota, that comprises its management philosophy and practices. The TPS organizes manufacturing and logistics for the automobile manufacturer, including interaction with suppliers and customers...
and the work of W. Edwards Deming
W. Edwards Deming
William Edwards Deming was an American statistician, professor, author, lecturer and consultant. He is perhaps best known for his work in Japan...
and Taiichi Ohno
Taiichi Ohno
was a prominent Japanese businessman. He is considered to be the father of the Toyota Production System, which became Lean Manufacturing in the U.S. He devised the seven wastes as part of this system. He wrote several books about the system, including Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale...
into a methodology called 'The Vanguard Method
The Vanguard Method
The Vanguard Method is a method used by service organisations to change from a command and control to a systems approach to the design and management of work. The method was invented by the occupational psychologist Professor John Seddon who began his career researching the reasons for failures of...
' for improving performance in service industries. He describes Deming's and Ohno's work as "systems thinking
Systems thinking
Systems thinking is the process of understanding how things influence one another within a whole. In nature, systems thinking examples include ecosystems in which various elements such as air, water, movement, plants, and animals work together to survive or perish...
", as opposed to the top-down rigid "management thinking" (or "Command and Control" thinking) that predominates most service industries today. He is particularly critical of target-based management, and of basing decisions on economies of scale
Economies of scale
Economies of scale, in microeconomics, refers to the cost advantages that an enterprise obtains due to expansion. There are factors that cause a producer’s average cost per unit to fall as the scale of output is increased. "Economies of scale" is a long run concept and refers to reductions in unit...
, rather than "economies of flow".
John Seddon discovered the concept of 'failure demand
Failure demand
Failure demand is a systems concept used in service organisations first discovered and articulated by Professor John Seddon as 'demand caused by a failure to do something or do something right for the customer'...
' which he defined as 'demand caused by a failure to do something or do something right for the customer'. He makes the distinction between 'failure demand' - demand caused by a failure to do something or do something right for the customer and 'value demand' - what the service exists to provide. Failure Demand represents a common type of waste found in service organizations.
John Seddon has published four books. In his 2008 book, Systems Thinking in the Public Sector, he provided a fundamental criticism of the UK Government reform programme and advocated its replacement by systems thinking. Over 10,000 central and local government officials, policy makers and public service leaders (in health, education, policing and housing, for example) have so far bought Seddon's 2008 book – and many more have read it.
Seddon won the first Management Innovation Prize for 'Reinventing Leadership' in October 2010. As a result, he spoke on a panel at the World Innovation Forum
World Innovation Forum
The World Innovation Forum is a business innovation summit held annually in New York City. The event is organized by HSM, an executive education and management content firm.-Description:...
on 7 June 2011.
The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
described Seddon as a management consultant, but unlike most "should not be dismissed as another consultant with a product to sell" due to a "high standing in the sector". It called to attention Seddon's disdain for the Audit Commission
Audit Commission
The Audit Commission is a public corporation in the United Kingdom.The Commission’s primary objective is to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local government, housing and the health service, directly through the audit and inspection process and also through value for money...
's council star ratings system; he points out that "Haringey Council was rated 4-star at the time of Victoria Climbié
Victoria Climbié
In 2000 in London, England, an eight-year-old Ivorian girl Victoria Adjo Climbié was tortured and murdered by her guardians...
and Baby P's deaths".
Academia
John Seddon earned a BScBSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
(Hons) in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
with the
University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
in 1974, and graduated with a MSc
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
in
occupational psychology from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in
1977.
Accessed 3 August 2007.
He has been awarded the title of honorary visiting professor at both
the Lean Enterprise Research Centre at the University of Cardiff
2007. and at the University of Derby
University of Derby
The University of Derby is a university in the city of Derby, England. The main site is on Kedleston Road, Allestree in the north-west of Derby close to the A38 opposite Markeaton Park...
's Derbyshire Business
School.
October 2010.
Campaign
Seddon said his purpose in life is to "change management thinking" at the Communities & Local Government Committee on inspection on 21 March 2011.Seddon launched a short manifesto in June 2009 calling for the Audit Commission
Audit Commission
The Audit Commission is a public corporation in the United Kingdom.The Commission’s primary objective is to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local government, housing and the health service, directly through the audit and inspection process and also through value for money...
and the rest of what he called the 'specifications industry' to be cut.
His call prompted a row on the Local Government Chronicle
Local Government Chronicle
Local Government Chronicle is a British weekly magazine for local government officers, and is published by Emap. The magazine was launched in 1855 by bookseller and publisher Charles Knight...
(LGC) website with David Walker, Managing Director, Communications & Reporting, at the Audit Commission, who responded strongly. The debate attracted a record number of comments from online readers, and broke the record for the number of visitors to an LGC article.
The debate was also covered in newspapers including The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, which featured it on 31 July 2009.
Seddon wrote an open letter dated 31 January 2011 calling for the Rt. Hon Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
and Lord Freud, the ministers responsible for Welfare Reform, to "halt the current programme of reorganisation associated with the Single Universal Credit and embark on a better course". In the letter, he says "This campaign is not about the concept of the Single Universal Credit as such. It is about the design and implementation of its delivery". He says the weakness in the proposals for online and call centre delivery of the new Single Universal Credit is the "continuing unquestioning faith in economies of scale". A petition was started on the Government e-petitions site as part of the campaign on 18th August 2011. The petiton calls for Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
to rethink the centralised IT-dominated service design of Universal Credit
Universal Credit
The Universal Credit is a proposed new benefit which will replace six of the main means-tested benefits and tax credits in the United Kingdom.-Background:...
.
External links
- Memorandum by Professor John Seddon, submitted to HM Parliament Public Administration Committee January 2003*
- Written evidence submitted by Vanguard Consulting, submitted to the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Select Committee March 2011
- Oral evidence given by Professor John Seddon, submitted to the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Select Committee March 2011
- Written evidence submitted by Professor John Seddon, submitted to the House of Commons Treasury Sub Committee April 2011