ASSIGNMENT 06
Question: Describe Deming's PDCA cycle
Answer: PDCA is an improvement cycle based on the scientific method of proposing a
change in a process, implementing the change, measuring the results, and taking appropriate
action. It also is known as the Deming Cycle or Deming Wheel after W. Edwards Deming,
who introduced the concept in Japan in the 1950s. It is also known as PDSA, where the “S”
stands for “study”.
The PDCA cycle has four stages:
1. Plan — determine goals for a process and needed changes to achieve them.
2. Do — implement the changes.
3. Check — evaluate the results in terms of performance
4. Act — standardize and stabilize the change or begin the cycle again, depending on the
results
PDCA is the foundation of continuous improvement. Leaders set targets (plan) against a
stable baseline of performance. Teams implement improvements (Do) to achieve the targets.
Then they measure (Check) the change to evaluate performance against the target. If the team
has achieved a measurable gain, it standardizes (Act) the new method by updating the
standardized work. This ensures the improvement is stable.
When to Use the PDCA Cycle
1. Starting a new improvement project
2. Developing a new or improved design of a process, product, or service
3. Defining a repetitive work process
4. Planning data collection and analysis in order to verify and prioritize problems or root
causes
5. Implementing any change
6. Working toward continuous improvement
Deming’s focus was on industrial production processes, and the level of improvements he
sought were on the level of production. In the modern post-industrial company, these kinds of
improvements are still needed but the real performance drivers often occur on the level of
business strategy. Strategic deployment is another process, but it has relatively longer-term
variations because large companies cannot change as rapidly as small business units. Still,
strategic initiatives can and should be placed in a feedback loop, complete with
measurements and planning linked in a PDCA cycle.
Question: Describe Deming's PDCA cycle
Answer: PDCA is an improvement cycle based on the scientific method of proposing a
change in a process, implementing the change, measuring the results, and taking appropriate
action. It also is known as the Deming Cycle or Deming Wheel after W. Edwards Deming,
who introduced the concept in Japan in the 1950s. It is also known as PDSA, where the “S”
stands for “study”.
The PDCA cycle has four stages:
1. Plan — determine goals for a process and needed changes to achieve them.
2. Do — implement the changes.
3. Check — evaluate the results in terms of performance
4. Act — standardize and stabilize the change or begin the cycle again, depending on the
results
PDCA is the foundation of continuous improvement. Leaders set targets (plan) against a
stable baseline of performance. Teams implement improvements (Do) to achieve the targets.
Then they measure (Check) the change to evaluate performance against the target. If the team
has achieved a measurable gain, it standardizes (Act) the new method by updating the
standardized work. This ensures the improvement is stable.
When to Use the PDCA Cycle
1. Starting a new improvement project
2. Developing a new or improved design of a process, product, or service
3. Defining a repetitive work process
4. Planning data collection and analysis in order to verify and prioritize problems or root
causes
5. Implementing any change
6. Working toward continuous improvement
Deming’s focus was on industrial production processes, and the level of improvements he
sought were on the level of production. In the modern post-industrial company, these kinds of
improvements are still needed but the real performance drivers often occur on the level of
business strategy. Strategic deployment is another process, but it has relatively longer-term
variations because large companies cannot change as rapidly as small business units. Still,
strategic initiatives can and should be placed in a feedback loop, complete with
measurements and planning linked in a PDCA cycle.
