plandocheckactsyklus

Plando-check-actcyklus, commonly referred to as the PDCA cycle or Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, is a four-step management method used for the continuous improvement of processes and products. In Dutch and related languages it is sometimes written as a single compound word, though the more common form remains Plan-Do-Check-Act cyclus. The concept originates from Walter A. Shewhart’s work on statistical quality control and was later popularized by W. Edwards Deming. The cycle is widely applied in quality management, operations, Lean and Six Sigma, as well as in organizational development and process optimization.

Plan: identify an objective or problem, define success criteria, and design the change. This stage includes planning the actions, resources, responsibilities, timelines, and metrics to measure outcomes.

Do: implement the plan on a small scale or in a pilot environment. Collect data and document observed results, process performance, and any issues encountered.

Check: analyze the data and compare outcomes with the plan. Assess whether the objectives were met, identify deviations, and determine causes or contributing factors.

Act: standardize successful changes or revise the approach based on what was learned. If needed, begin a new cycle with improved plans, expanding the implementation or applying lessons to broader processes.

PDCA cycles are valued for promoting iterative learning, reducing risk, and enabling data-driven decision making. They require organizational commitment and careful measurement, and can be complemented by alternative variants such as PDSA, where “Study” replaces “Check.”