Arun Hariharan

Humor in Quality Arun Hariharan

There seems to be a perception among quite a few people that Quality is an "important but boring" discipline. This image also rubs off on Quality professionals such as me. We may think we are important, but others may think we are boring. Quite a few people seem to think of Quality as full of dour-faced, uninteresting people. "Very accurate, but boring," is how one person described his perception of Quality folks. I would lay most of the blame for this unexciting image of Quality people on ourselves - many of us seem to think that it is not OK for a Quality professional to wear a smile on their face or have fun while working in Quality. My own experience from years of working in Quality, however has been quite the opposite. There's never been a dull moment - thanks largely to people. Both Quality folks and others have vied with each other to provide (often unintended) entertainment. I have seen several organizations achieve great results through Quality. On the other hand, I have also come across skeptical attitudes to Quality. Attitudes to Quality can at times be hilarious. In many cases, the skepticism disappeared when people saw what they could achieve with Quality. In this little book, I have made an attempt to capture some of the funny moments in Quality. When I started writing this book, I had in mind to create something that will 'entertain, educate and enlighten', as Wodehouse might have put it. While you the reader can make up your mind about the educate and enlighten parts, I hope the book will bring a smile to your lips. Some of the funny moments do seem to have their lessons too. Some of the stories in the book may remind you of your boss of some other person you know, but - believe me - any resemblance to any person - living or otherwise -is purely coincidental (that's right!). No malice is meant toward any person.