PDCA CYCLE

One of the important tools of Continuous Improvement (CI) philosophy is the

do-check-act) Cycle,

often called the

and continual nature of the CI process.

PDCA (plan-

Deming Wheel, which conveys the sequential

4. Act

1. Plan

3. Check

2. Do

The PLAN phase of the cycle is where an improvement area (sometimes called a theme) and a
specific problem with it are identified. It is also where the analysis is done.Table below gives a CI
example using the 5W2H method. ( 5W2H stands for what, where, when, who, how and how
much.)
The 5W2H Method

TYPE

5W2H

Subject
Matter

What?

Purpose

Why?

Location

Where?

Description
What is being done?
Can this task be eliminated?
Why is this task necessary?
Clarify the purpose.
Where is it being done?
Does it have to be done there?

COUNTERMEASURE
Eliminate
unnecessary task.
Change the sequence
or combination.

Sequence

When?

People

Who?

Method

How?

Cost

How
Much?

When is the best time to do it?

Does it have to be done then?
Who is doing it?
Should someone else do it?
Why am I doing it?
How is it being done?
Is this the best method?
Is there some other way?
How much does it cost now?
What will the cost be after improvement/

Simplify the task.

Select an
improvement method.

The DO phase of the PDCA cycle deals with implementing the change. Experts usually
recommend that the plan be done on a small scale first, and that any changes in the plan be
documented. (Check sheets are useful here, too.)
The CHECK phase deals with evaluating data collected during the implementation. The objective
is to see if there is a good fit between the original goal and the actual results.
During the ACT phase, the improvement is codified as the new standard procedure and replicated
in similar processes throughout the organization.
The group- level CI process is frequently represented as if we were developing a story-board for a
movie. Table below, for example, summarize the steps just discussed as QI (Quality
Improvement) story.

QI Step
PLAN
1. Select theme.

2. Group the
current situation.

Function

Tools

Decide theme for improvement.

Make clear why the theme is
selected.

Next processes are our

customers.
Standardization.
Education.
Immediate remedy
versus recurrence
prevention.

Collect data.
Find the key characteristics of the
theme.
Narrow done the problem area.
Establish priorities: serious
problems first.

Check sheet.
Histogram.
Pareto.

DO

List all possible causes of the

most serious problems.
Study the relations between
possible causes and between
3. Conduct
causes & problems.
analysis.
Select some causes and establish
hypotheses about possible
relations.
Collect data and study cause-andeffect relations.
4. Devise
Devise counter-measures to
countereliminate the causes(s) of a
measures.
problem.
Implement countermeasures.
(Experiment.)
5. Confirm the
Collect data on the effects of the
effect of countercounter-measures.
measures.
Do before after comparison.

CHECK
6. Standardize
the countermeasures.

ACT

Fishbone.
Check sheet.
Scatter diagram.
Stratification.

Intrinsic technology.
Experience.

SPC Tools.

Amend the existing standards

according to the countermeasures whose effects are
confirmed.

7. Identify the
remaining
problems and
evaluate the
whole procedure.

Problem Solving Tools of QC or Techniques for solving QC problems

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

The Pareto Diagram.

The Cause-and-effect Diagram.
Control Charts. (e.g. for variables).
Tally Sheets for defects, or causes of defects.
Scatter Diagrams (to show simple correlations between two variables).
Binomial probability tables (to determine whether statistically significant changes have
taken place in a variable).

7. A variety of other types of graphs, including line, bar, pie charts and monographs.