The PDCA cycle is a four-step model for managing the continuous improvement of organizational processes and products. Also known as the Deming Cycle or Shewhart Cycle, it plays a crucial role in the functioning of lean manufacturing systems and the Toyota production method.
Like any good acronym, each letter of the cycle carries part of its meaning: Plan, Do, Check, and Act. In this article, we will explain in more detail what each of these steps means and how to implement them in your quality management.
But first, it’s time to talk a little about history.
How the PDCA Cycle Came About
In the 1920s, physicist and statistician Walter A. Shewhart was working at Bell Telephone Laboratories, a laboratory founded by inventor Alexander Graham Bell after the creation of the first functional telephone. The physicist recognized the need for a statistical method to monitor and control the manufacturing process.
To address this, he created a repetitive cycle for improvement, which became known as the Shewhart Cycle — a name still used by some to describe the PDCA. This method involved three steps:
- Specify;
- Produce;
- Inspect.
In 1939, Shewhart formalized his ideas in the book Statistical Method from the Viewpoint of Quality Control.
His work caught the attention of physicist W. Edwards Deming, who at the time was struggling with measurement errors in scientific research. From there, he began a long collaboration with Shewhart, including joint work on productivity improvement during World War II.
Creation of the Deming Cycle
After the war, Deming began working on the reconstruction of Japanese industry. There, he taught the methods developed by his colleague while working to expand and refine them.
It was in this context that the PDCA cycle emerged, also known as the Deming Cycle. Its development involved crucial work by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE).
The method was essential not only in helping Japan rebuild its post-war economy but also in enabling the country’s companies to become world leaders in manufacturing quality.
Benefits of the PDCA Cycle
Used in the industry for over 70 years, the PDCA cycle has a respectable track record of success. It is one of the pillars of the Toyota Production System, and even today there are several reasons why you should give it a try.
Here are the main benefits of implementing the PDCA cycle in your quality management:
- Structured Approach: It offers a clear technique with a straightforward and easy-to-implement step-by-step process. This way, you can quickly focus on improving your organization.
- Flexibility: The method allows for adjustments and iterations based on your learning during the process.
- Continuous Improvement: The PDCA cycle promotes a continuous flow of improvement by encouraging constant evaluations and refinements.
- Facilitates Project Management: You gain access to a transparent framework for managing projects, ensuring that changes are well planned and executed.
- Historical Importance: Developed by pioneers of quality management, the Deming cycle has a track record of success in different market areas.
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How to Apply the PDCA Cycle in Your Organization
Now you know how the PDCA cycle came about and what benefits it brings to your company. The next step, naturally, is to learn how to apply it in your work.
For this, we have brought a complete guide, which starts with planning and ends with the act phase — before starting the whole process again. We will explain in more detail the four stages of the cycle:
1. Plan
The first step is to identify the problem that needs to be solved or an opportunity to improve your products or processes. For example, you might have a shoe factory where the sole of your latest prototype comes off after just a week of use.
Read More – Action Plan Models: What They Are and Best Examples
From this discovery, you need to explore the available information in its entirety. Call your team, brainstorm, and select the best ideas.
Then, develop a complete implementation plan. It should include your main objective, as well as the goals necessary to achieve it. All of this should be as quantifiable as possible.
2. Do
Once you have found a potential solution, which in this case could be reinforcing the sole stitching, it’s time to put it to the test. For this, you should conduct a small-scale test, like a pilot project.
This way, you can see if the proposed changes achieved the desired result without causing interruptions in the rest of the organization’s operations. Collect data from your experiment and evaluate it to see if the changes worked or not.
Don’t forget to train all employees involved in the process to ensure they understand their roles in the implementation phase. They will also be important for providing more personalized feedback on activities, which will help identify other points for improvement or adjustment.
3. Check
In the third stage of the PDCA cycle, you will analyze the results of your pilot project compared to the criteria your team determined in the first step. Use statistical techniques and tools to interpret the data, which may include control charts, histograms, and other quality management options.
In addition to quantitative information, it is also worth gathering qualitative insights from the most specialized members of your organization. Then document all findings and create a detailed report of your experiment — which will be useful for deciding the steps to be taken in the next stage.
If your goals and objectives have been achieved, congratulations: it’s time to move on to stage four. Otherwise, you should go back to the first step and start the planning phase again.
In subsequent attempts, you can try making a bigger change or a large number of small changes. After that, repeat the “Do” and “Check” phases.
4. Act
Finally, the big moment has arrived: the time to implement your solution. You will use all the insights gathered so far to take action.
If the experiment was successful, it’s time to implement the change more broadly. In the case of our shoe factory example, it would be time to add that reinforcement to the sole stitching of all units coming off the production line.
Update all relevant documentation according to the new standards, including your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and training materials. Communicate the changes and the results of your tests to all stakeholders, such as employees, management, and suppliers.
From there, continue to monitor the process to ensure that the changes are being implemented correctly and achieving the expected result.
In conclusion, remember that the PDCA is a cycle, so the Act stage is not the end of the procedures. Instead, it is a new beginning towards the next cycle, with its results serving as information to be analyzed in the first stage (Plan).
Conclusion
The PDCA cycle presents itself as a fundamental tool for quality management in any organization, regardless of size or sector. By implementing this method, your company promotes a culture of continuous improvement, as well as establishing a systematic process to identify problems, test solutions, and ensure that changes are effective and sustainable in the long term.
Remember that the success of PDCA depends on the constant repetition of the cycle, always seeking to improve processes based on the lessons learned. Therefore, adopt PDCA as an integral part of your management strategy and see how it can transform the quality of your products and services, boosting your company’s efficiency and competitiveness in the market.
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