Who is widely recognized as the "father of quality engineering"?

The title of "father of quality engineering" is most commonly associated with Genichi Taguchi due to his significant contributions to improving quality and reducing costs through robust design and experimental design techniques. Taguchi introduced the concept of robust design, focusing on minimizing variation and optimizing performance, which laid the groundwork for quality engineering practices. His methodologies, including the Taguchi methods for experimental design, became fundamental in statistical quality control and are still widely used in industries seeking to enhance product quality and performance.

While other figures in quality management, such as Walter Shewhart, W. Edwards Deming, and Joseph Juran, have also made important contributions to quality theory and practices, they are often recognized for different aspects of quality management. Shewhart is known for developing control charts, Deming for his principles of quality improvement in management practices, and Juran for his focus on the managerial aspects of quality and the quality trilogy approach. Their contributions are vital, but it is Taguchi's emphasis on engineering aspects of quality that has earned him the title in this context.