Aguayo's biography is notable for its focus on Deming's intellectual development and the philosophical underpinnings of his management theory. Unlike Walton's more practical guide, Aguayo traces the connections between Deming's statistical training under walter-a-shewhart, his epistemological influences (particularly C.I. Lewis), and the emergence of the system-of-profound-knowledge. The book provides detailed coverage of Deming's Japan years and the founding-of-the-deming-prize, and includes extensive material from Aguayo's personal interviews with Deming. Its subtitle captures the irony that defined Deming's career: decades of American indifference followed by Japanese transformation.