[2] Throughout his life, Dorian Shainin worked to improve the quality and reliability of an array of products, including paper, printing, textiles, rubber, nuclear energy, airplanes, automobiles, cassette decks, space ships, light bulbs and disposable diapers,[3] with clients representing over 200 different industries, ranging from the U.S. Department of Defense, Rolls-Royce Ltd. and Exxon to Polaroid, Hewlett-Packard, AT&T and Ford Motor.

This statistical technique uses the graphical analysis of variable sample data in order to determine if a lot consisting of potentially faulty parts should be accepted or set aside for 100% inspection.

[8] Walter A. Shewhart's development of control charts demonstrated the application of statistical techniques to manufacturing and illustrated the effectiveness of graphical presentation and analysis.

In 1952 Shainin joined Rath & Strong, Inc., a management consulting firm based in Lexington, Massachusetts, holding the position of Senior Vice President.

In classical or Taguchi DOE (Design of Experiments), engineers would brainstorm to form hypotheses regarding possible causes of a problem.

Shainin's methods postpone this theoretical step, requiring first the diagnosis of causes via one or more of four clue generation techniques designed to determine, through the empirical testing of the actual parts in question, the root cause, or "Red X".

[16] In the 1940s Leonard Seder, an MIT classmate and friend, developed the Multi-vari chart, a graphical method for analysis of variance.

[18] Among the statisticians and mathematicians who influenced Shainin's thinking were Ronald Fisher, John Tukey, and Waloddi Weibull.

[20] Like Seder's Multi-Vari charts, Waloddi Weibull's now famous continuous probability distribution fascinated Shainin.

In order to ensure a statistical margin of safety, Shainin developed a completely new approach to reliability assessment, which was applied to the empirical testing of Grumman's Lunar Module prototype components and systems.

[23] During the years that Shainin served as a reliability consultant for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, he worked on the hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell that powered Apollo environmental life support in addition to the RL-10 cryogenic liquid rocket engine.

[25] From 1950 to 1983 Shainin was on the faculty of the University of Connecticut, where he originated and conducted the continuing education program for people in industry.

[26] In 1987 Shainin further refined his problem prevention approach through his assistance with the introduction of the Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine.

"[29] In 1952 Shainin, a Fellow of the American Society for Quality, received the ASQ Brumbaugh Award–honoring the best contribution to industry for that year–in response to his paper, "The Lot Plot Plan.