The biggest part of creating quality products is, as shown in this article, systemically controlling for variation more than the creation itself. Achieving that is all about understanding the sciences of not only engineering, but statistics, systems theory, psychology, and epistemology.

Quality is systemically controlling for variation. Repeat it, know it, love it. Even software benefits immensely from a systems view.

Deming would be all over this -- right up his alley. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming