Complete Guide to the PDCA Cycle

The PDCA Cycle is a project management framework commonly used in quality assurance and continuous improvement efforts. Organizations taking this approach should regularly repeat the process to identify new opportunities and use the cycle to improve. In this blog, we’ll break down the four steps of the PDCA Cycle, explain how it’s used to enact changes and decision-making processes, and provide resources to implement this tool in your own company.

What is the PDCA Cycle?

The PDCA Cycle is an improvement cycle based on the scientific method of introducing a change to a process, applying the change, assessing the results, and taking further action. PDCA is also called the Deming Cycle after W. Edwards Deming, who integrated the concept in his lectures in the 1950s.

PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check, Act. Let’s break down the basic objectives of each step:

1. Plan. Identify goals for a process and necessary changes to fulfill them.
2. Do. Integrate the changes into that process.
3. Check. Evaluate the data and results in terms of performance.
4. Act. Either standardize and stabilize the change OR begin the cycle again, depending on the results.

PDCA is considered a project planning tool for organizations. In order to ensure continuous improvement, organizations should repeat this cycle regularly.

Benefits of PDCA

Studies show that in the manufacturing industry, when organizations used the PDCA Cycle in tandem with other tools like flowcharts, defects decreased by 65%, 77%, and 79% in three different product models.

The PDCA Cycle is so effective that highly successful companies regularly implement it in their workplaces. Toyota, for instance, uses PDCA regularly, resulting in enhanced quality, lowered costs, and increased efficiency in their manufacturing.

When organizations skillfully implement the steps of PDCA, they can ensure a variety of benefits:

• Enhanced quality control. Continuous monitoring and standardizing processes of PDCA lead to reduced defects and consistent quality.
• Increased efficiency. With streamlined processes, improved workflows, and reduced downtimes, workplace efficiency boosts significantly.
• Cost reduction. PDCA develops better process control and continuous monitoring, which leads to lower waste and improved budget control.
• Improved safety. Regular safety checks and elevated regulatory compliance help prevent workplace incidents before they occur.
• Increased customer satisfaction. With better processes, higher quality products and systems, and efficient operations, customer satisfaction levels increase considerably.
• Continuous improvement. PDCA promotes a culture of continuous improvement, which yields benefits such as improved flexibility and problem-solving skills within organizations.

In the following section, we’ll dive deeper into the four distinct steps that make up the PDCA Cycle.

PDCA Step 1: Plan

Step one of the PDCA Cycle stands for “Plan.” This step requires organizations to:

1. Start by identifying the problem. This could be recognizing an opportunity for change or identifying a challenge to overcome.
2. Develop hypotheses. Make predictions about the issues and decide which one to test.
3. Create a plan for change. Set objectives to deliver the intended result of the change.

PDCA Step 2: Do

Step two of the PDCA Cycle stands for “Do.” For this step, organizations should:

1. Find a potential solution. Brainstorm ways to implement positive changes.
2. Test the solution on a small scale. This test should be a real-world experiment to assess the hypothesis developed in step one.
3. Measure the results. This allows organizations to assess whether the proposed changes achieve a desired outcome, while minimally disrupting the rest of the operation.

PDCA Step 3: Check

Step three of the PDCA Cycle stands for “Check.” This step includes:

1. Collecting data and results from the small-scale test
2. Analyzing data and results
3. Determining what can be learned

PDCA Step 4: Act

The fourth and final step of the PDCA Cycle stands for “Act.”

Based on the information revealed in the “Check” step, organizations should take one of the two following actions:

1. If the data from the “Check” step showed that the modification was not successful, then organizations should develop a new plan.
2. If the change was successful, then organizations should implement it more fully or widely.

Ensuring that your employees are well-versed in project management is essential for any organization to thrive. Learn how to boost employee project management skills through online training for on-time, budget-friendly project delivery.

PDCA Cycle Examples

The PDCA Cycle is used in a variety of areas, including:

• Project planning. PDCA helps outline and refine project goals, identify necessary resources, and establish a timeline, ensuring an iterative approach to effective planning.
• Quality control. PDCA is used to systematically monitor, measure, and improve product quality by implementing changes, assessing their impact, and making further adjustments as needed.
• Continuous improvement efforts. PDCA drives continuous improvement by encouraging regular evaluation and enhancement of processes, fostering a culture of ongoing optimization and innovation.
• Lean manufacturing. PDCA is applied to eliminate waste, streamline operations, and enhance efficiency through iterative testing and refinement of processes.
• Overall maintenance. PDCA supports overall maintenance by structuring the maintenance process into planning, executing, checking results, and adjusting procedures to ensure equipment reliability and performance.

PDCA: One-Time or Continuous?

The PDCA Cycle is continuous, meaning it’s not intended to be performed only once.

Instead, the PDCA Cycle is meant to be an iterative process, meaning you do it again and again, creating a cycle of continuous improvement.

That repeated cycle should look something like this:

How Vector Solutions Helps Organizations with Project Management

“If your employees need flexibility, a wide variety of content, and support you can call on at any time, I don’t know if there’s a better value than Vector because it offers all of those things in a really easy-to-use system.”

– Learning & Innovation Specialist

Unlocking the benefits of the PDCA Cycle starts with proper employee training and a focus on continuous improvement. Here at Vector Solutions, we pride ourselves on providing organizations with efficient and effective digital solutions to accomplish just that.

Our Continuous Improvement Training library provides companies with the necessary tools to effectively implement practices such as PDCA into the workplace. With our online quality, reliability, and total productive maintenance training, workforces learn how to “think Lean,” detect problems earlier, and continuously improve equipment and processes.

Request a demo and learn more.