Dr. W. Edward Deming is considered by a lot of people to be the master of continual improvement of quality. Many in the industrial engineering field are fans of Deming, so it's wise to know about the work he did to advance how top managers and engineers work together and more. Along the same lines is the term Toyota Production System (TPS). It's hard to imagine getting hired for an IE position without knowing extensively about both, so it doesn't hurt to familiarize yourself with them again if you are rusty.

You may not be able to recite Dr. Deming's 14 points for management, but you can easily discuss Deming's teachings and key points about him. You can answer the question by saying that 'Dr. Deming taught by showing companies how they can increase quality and lessen production costs by reducing waste, litigation, rework, and staff attrition, while still increasing the loyalty of the customer. Deming's efficiency methods and quality philosophies were instrumental in Japan's economic recovery after WWII and beyond.'

Use the Toyota Company's definition for TPS if you are asked about it "“ for which the answer would be, 'TPS is a production system based on the philosophy of achieving the complete elimination of all waste in pursuit of the most efficient methods. TPS uses lean tools such as Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory and stopping equipment immediately when a problem occurs on the line to prevent defects.'