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The Deming Cycle: Plan-Do-Check-Act
Why use it?
The Deming cycle, or plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle is a method to structure and effectively manage
improvement, and change projects.
What does it do?
PDCA leads you through a logical sequence of four repetitive steps for continuous improvement and
learning: planning ( plan ) the improvement of any activity should be followed by execution of an activity
( do ) according to the plan. One should then measure and study ( check the results and the
improvement. Action should then be taken ( act towards adapting objectives and/or improvement. The
consequent learning should be implemented in planning the new activities.
What question will it help you answer?
Q. Can I specify my objectives, activities and desired results and manage the improvements systematically
and consistently?
The Big Picture
The Deming (or plan-do-check-act, PDCA) cycle is a method to structure improvement and change
process. It refers to a logical sequence of four repetitive steps for continuous improvement and learning;
plan, do, check and act. Planning (plan) the improvement of an activity should be followed by execution of
the activity (do) according to the plan. One should then measure and study (check) the results and the
improvement. Action should then be taken (act) towards adapting the objectives and/or improvement. The
consequent learning should be implemented in planning the new activities.

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When to use it?
The PDCA cycle allows an organization to manage improvement initiatives in a disciplined way. When
confronted with this model for the first time, many will realize that they are steering, but not really
managing their organization. It can be used to structure and discipline the process of continuous
improvement. Pictorially, the process of improvement may look as if one were rolling the PDCA wheel
uphill. Each problem-solving cycle corresponds to a PDCA cycle.

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It is important to teach all the managers who have to work with this improvement method how to use this
cycle. By making explicit use of the PDCA cycle, people become aware of the improvements and benefits.
This will encourage people to continue with the improvement projects. The cycle can be applied to
different subjects, e.g. to achieving a mission, objectives, control points or in training.
How to use it?
Go through the four steps systematically when pursuing improvement in specified activities.
1. Plan
Plan ahead for change. Analyze the current situation and the potential impact of any adjustments before
you do anything else. Predict the various results expected, with or without the theory. How can you

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measure the impact when the desired result has been achieved? Plan to include result measurement in
the execution. Make an implementation plan with assigned responsibilities for participants.
Experience shows that it is useful to ask the following questions:
• What are we trying to achieve?
• How can this be linked to the higher purpose of our organization?
• Who is going to be affected?
• Where will it happen?
• When will it happen?
• What is the step-by-step procedure?
• How can we measure the improvement, if at all?
2. Do
When executing the plan, you must take the small steps in controlled circumstances in order to be able to
attribute improvements or failures to the planned changes in the activity.
3. Check
Check the results of your experiment. Was the desired result achieved? Analyze why success is realized
and if not, find out why not.
4. Act
Take action when results are not as desired. Try to standardize procedures by including those actions that
have already been proved to contribute success and eliminating those that do not contribute. Or, in the
event that the result proved to be other than what was desired, use the experience as input for new
attempts at improvement.

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The final analysis
Many organizations are unable to specify objectives, activities and desired results, let alone manage their
own improvements systematically and consistently, with or without the PDCA cycle. In addition, it requires
discipline to practice the whole PDCA cycle, to stop firefighting and to stop undertaking only plan-do-plan-
do. There have been several adaptations of the PDCA cycle. For example, plan can be split into determine
goals and targets and determine methods of reaching goals ; and do can be split into training and
education and implementation .
REFERENCE
Walton, M. and Deming, W.E., (1986) The Deming Management Method, New York: Dodd
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