PDCA - Plan Do Check Act Template

What is it: PDCA ("Plan-Do-Check-Act") is an iterative four step problem solving process typically used in quality control. It is also known as the Deming Cycle, Shewhart cycle and Deming Wheel. PDCA is an iterative way of feeding management information based on measurements and targets into an ongoing cycle of continuous improvement by completing the ‘feedback loop’. Benefits of the PDCA cycle include:

Problem solving process
Daily routine management for the individual and/or the team
Project management
Continuous development
Vendor development
Human resources development
New product development
Process trials

Why use it: PDCA is a methodology that is used to analyze and measure, to identify sources of variations that cause products to deviate from customer requirements. By using PDCA business processes or production processes are placed in a continuous feedback loop so that managers can identify and change the parts of the process that needs improvements.

Where to use it: PDCA is usually used in industrial production processes for continuous improvement or problem solving, however PDCA has also revolved to include the business strategy and strategic descisions in modern post-industrial companies.

When to use it: To correct deviations in the process that affects the customers requirments or expectations.

How to use it: The Plan Do Check Act Model follows the four main steps below:

PLAN: Design or revise production/business process components to improve results
DO: Implement the plan and measure its performance
CHECK: Assess the measurements, monitor and evaluate the processes and results against objectives and specifications and report the results to decision makers, AKA (STUDY: Study the results)
ACT: Decide on changes needed to improve the process and apply actions to the outcome for necessary improvement. This means reviewing all steps (Plan, Do, Check, Act) and modifying the process to improve it before its next cycle of implementation

PDCA should be repeatedly implemented in spirals of increasing knowledge of the system that converge on the ultimate goal, each cycle closer than the previous. This approach is based on the belief that our knowledge and skills are limited, but improving. Especially at the start of a project, key information may not be known; the PDCA provides feedback to justify our guesses (hypotheses) and increase our knowledge.

A visual representation of the PDCA process model is shown below, click on any of the 4 quadrants to illustrate how the "Fast Response PDCA Template" has been designed and tested with the PDCA methodology.

PDCA Circle