PDCA thinking (see Figure 1, below) is the disciplined and systematic approach that underpins the management of performance and continuous improvement at any level; strategic, operational-management or operational. It brings a structure to people’s thinking and creates a constant iterative and incremental approach to management and improvement. It is the engine that drives Business Excellence.
Figure 1: The Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle
From a technical perspective, it is a constant loop of:
- Planning: Defining a goal, the method for achieving it and the measure by which success will be assessed
- Doing: Executing the plan
- Checking that the plan was followed and that the outcomes were as expected, and if not, ascertaining why not
- Acting on the lessons learned during Check, and adjusting the method, goal or measure to reflect what has been learned
From a social perspective, how ‘Check’ is run significantly influences the organisation’s culture. If it is characterised by blame, the fear of it will likely cause people to shut down and disengage. Trust will diminish, and it may become contentious. Little progress will be made. A more productive approach is, first, to see problems as opportunities for process improvement and, second, to remove fear and engage people.
