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)