Optimization Works

Karl Haushalter and Optimization Works focus on helping organizations improve their productivity, quality and long-term profitability based on Dr. Deming's theory of management. The aim is to help management optimize the entire system over time.

Optimization Works, a MetaQuality company, provides education, planning, training and coaching services to a wide range of domestic and international organizations. Services provided to companies on their optimization journeys include:

Education - An optimization journey begins with a management team which understands and is committed to Dr. Deming's theory of management. Karl provides education tailored to an organization's level of understanding - from an introduction to Deming's theory of management to deepening their understanding and from a half day to four day sessions or on an ongoing basis.

Planning - Once management has committed to follow Dr. Deming's theory they need to plan the journey, especially how and where to start. Karl frequently leads a MetaAnalysis Process to (1) identify all the key issues which will enable an organization to achieve its mission, (2) have the management group discover the interrelationship between the key issues and which ones are "the drivers" and, thus, where to start, and (3) align the entire management group on the next steps to transform their organization. Other planning processes are also used.

Training - Once management is aligned on what needs to be done, Karl provides training in the tools of continuous improvement including statistical process control and related topics. Training sessions can be arranged to fit the timetable of each organization - many companies have regularly scheduled weekly or monthly sessions. Some companies prefer specifically tailored on-site programs and others have chosen a cooperative learning or roundtable format.

Coaching - As the training progresses and the company as a whole and its process improvement teams start to implement Deming's theory, Karl provides coaching to top management, the steering team, and to the process improvement teams. Many times this involves regular visits to the company and sometimes it is accomplished through phone, fax and modem communication.

While the Deming/MetaQuality approach is a long-term one, our clients have achieved significant improvements in their operations, and in almost all cases, in their profitability, in the first year.

Types of industries served have included:

The size of companies have ranged from $1 million to $2 billion in revenues, with most in the $3 million to $30 million range.

Karl was a guest lecturer at Dr. Deming's class at NYU. In addition, Karl is the co-chairman of UCLA's TQM Certificate Program Advisory Council and teaches three classes for UCLA Extension: Deming's Foundation for Management of Quality, Application of Deming's Theory of Management, and Data Collection and Analysis the Deming Way - Making the Invisible Visible.

Karl is a Founding Director and Chairman of the Los Angeles Deming User Group and a member of various other professional organizations including the American Society of Quality and the Deming Management Alliance of Southern California.

Karl is a frequent speaker on various quality related topics including "What's So Important About What Dr. Deming Is Saying", "Quality - What's It All About", "The Experiment with the Red Beads", "Statistics - Making the Invisible Visible", and "Putting Deming's Theory to Work".

Karl has over 30 years of professional experience in consulting, accounting, auditing and management. Prior to forming Optimization Works, Karl was a partner in an international "Big Six" CPA firm and served as the managing partner of its Honolulu Office for eight years. He graduated from University of Arizona - BSBA in 1964 and Masters in Accounting in 1965, both with honors.

Karl is a member of the MetaQuality Commonwealth, a group of consultants and businessmen committed to transforming organizations consistent with Deming's theory of management. Public courses offered include: