Home > Tactics > Process Improvement > PDCA - Plan Do Check Act
Problem: If improvements aren't tested and reviewed, changes can lead to mistakes and waste.
Solution: Use the PDCA cycle—Plan, Do, Check, Act—to try small changes, review their success, and make adjustments, creating steady and reliable improvements.
Intro:
The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) framework, also known as the Deming Cycle or Shewhart Cycle, is a four-step, iterative process aimed at continuous improvement in management and operational practices.
Tool:
- Plan: Identify a goal, process, or problem that requires improvement. Develop a hypothesis for how changes might improve outcomes. This phase involves setting clear objectives, defining success metrics, and creating an actionable plan with necessary resources.
- Do: Implement the plan on a small scale to test its effectiveness. This is a pilot phase, where the plan is executed on a limited scope to observe its impact without major disruptions.
- Check: Analyze the results of the test to see if the expected improvements were achieved. This involves comparing data and outcomes to the predefined success metrics. If the change meets or exceeds expectations, it can be implemented on a larger scale.
- Act: Based on the findings, decide whether to adopt, modify, or abandon the change. If successful, the process is standardized and implemented broadly. If not, the cycle restarts, using the new insights to inform further adjustments.
The PDCA cycle is designed to foster a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging regular assessments and iterative learning. It is widely applied in quality management, manufacturing, healthcare, and other sectors where systematic improvement is essential.