George E. P. Box
interfere system observe
"To find out what happens to a system when you interfere with it you have to interfere with it (not just passively observe it)."
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)
models wrong useful
"Remember that all models are wrong; the practical question is how wrong do they have to be to not be useful."
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)
model approximation nature mind
"…all models are approximations. Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful. However, the approximate nature of the model must always be borne in mind…"
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)
models wrong useful
"All models are wrong but some are useful."
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)
manager old new direct coach
"The old-fashioned idea of a good manager is one who is supposed to know all the answers, can solve every problem himself, and can give appropriate orders to his subordinates to carry out his plans... A good modern manager is like a good coach who leads and encourages his team in never-ending quality improvement."
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)
management system pretense involvement cynicism
"the management system which makes only a pretense of valuing employee involvement and encouraging employee empowerment merely breeds cynicism."
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)
process generate information improve
"Every process generates information that can be used to improve it."
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)
collective statisticians group quarrel
What's the collective noun for a group of statisticians?
"A quarrel"
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)
staticians artist love model
"Statisticians, like artists, have the bad habit of falling in love with their models."
— George E.P. Box (1919-2013)