Plan, Do, Check, Act: an employer’s guide

The Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) cycle is a simple, four-step process that helps organisations make improvements and solve problems. By following these steps, businesses can test new ideas, see what works, and keep getting better over time. This article will explain what the PDCA cycle is, how each stage works, and why it is important for lasting success.

What is the Plan-Do-Check Act model?

The Plan Do Check Act model is a systematic four-stage management tool designed for process control and continuous improvement. This framework requires repeated application as part of ongoing operational efforts and is used heavily in ISO implementation.

The PDCA framework’s strength lies in its systematic approach and scalability. Organisations can apply it to optimise minor workflows within individual teams or to restructure major company-wide processes. The objective is transitioning from reactive problem-solving to proactive, data-driven improvement.

The four stages of the PDCA cycle

1. Plan: define objectives and establish implementation strategy

The “Plan” phase represents the foundation of the entire cycle. If this stage isn’t done properly, you compromise the implementation of the certification. In simpler terms, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

During this stage, you should:

• Identify the problem or opportunity: determine which processes require improvement. Define the current situation and compare it to the desired situation. Ensure to use specific, measurable criteria. Rather than vague objectives like “improve non-compliance,” establish concrete goals such as “reduce non-compliance related to document control by 90% in the next internal audit.” 
• Figure out the root cause: Identify underlying causes of the issue and current noncompliance rather than surface-level symptoms. This ensures solutions address fundamental issues. Go deeper, ask yourself why.
• Ideas development: think about what changes will help you meet the ISO requirements. Sticking with our example above, implementing a centralised document management system for all employees will reduce the amount of incomplete or missing documents.
• Establish success metrics: define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for measuring the success of your ideas. Using the previous dot point as an example, the primary metric would be the percentage of errors related to document storage before implementing a document management system, vs after implementing. To be clear, this isn’t the implementation stage. In this step, you’re simply defining what metric you’ll be measuring.
• Create an action plan: detail specific steps, resources, responsibilities, and timelines required for idea testing. Identify which team members can test, the necessary tools to implement it, and come up with reasonable timeframes to test and implement the changes.

2. Do: execute your plan and deploy changes

The “Do” stage is where you put the plan into action, but start small. This means testing the changes on a smaller scale first, like a trial run, instead of rolling them out across the whole organisation. This approach helps reduce risks and avoids major disruptions if the changes don’t work as expected.

In the Do stage, you should:

• Train your team: ensure participants understand their responsibilities, processes, and testing objectives. On a small scale, this can look like only having a few people take part in the centralised document system, rather than the whole team.
• Implement the change: execute action plan steps as outlined. For the previous example, this involves implementing a centralised document management system to ensure all documents are updated, tracked, and accessible for one team or a small percentage of the company.
• Collect data: gather data based on metrics defined in the “Plan” stage. This data provides objective evidence of change impact. Document all observations, including unexpected problems or results.

3. Check: conduct results analysis

The PDCA check phase involves analysing collected data and comparing the results against the expected outcomes. This determines whether the changes produced the intended effects.

In the Check stage, you should:

• Review data and analysis: examine the tracked metrics. For example, determine whether incomplete and missing documents decreased and by what measure. Compare pre-implementation and post-implementation data to see the impact.
• Assess the results: assess whether goals established in the “Plan” stage were achieved (e.g., 90% reduction in document non-compliance. If not, identify contributing factors.
• Identify the consequences: write down unexpected occurrences and unintended consequences, both positive and negative. For instance, a new document system may reduce errors and increase productivity.
• Summarise what you learnt: consolidate your findings into comprehensive summaries. Write down what succeeded, what failed, and what lessons you learned throughout the process.

4. Act: Standardise the solution or go back to the drawing board

The “Act” stage requires decision-making based on “Check” phase results. Two primary pathways exist.

If your test was successful:

• It’s time to standardise the solution: If the pilot tests achieve the desired results, implement the solution across the organisation. This involves updating standard operating procedures (SOPs), conducting comprehensive staff training, and deploying changes throughout relevant departments or the entire team.
• Keep monitoring: Implementation doesn’t mean the process is done. It’s important to keep monitoring the processes as they are introduced to ensure continued stability and effectiveness.

If your test was unsuccessful or produced mixed results:

• Repeat the process and refine: return to the “Plan” stage. Apply lessons from unsuccessful tests to revise your idea, adjust approaches, or redefine problems. Perhaps the document management software was appropriate, but training on the new system was insufficient.
• Abandon the change: If the idea to fix the problem is fundamentally incorrect, abandon the proposed changes. But think about what you learnt about your business and the way your staff work and apply these insights to your next plan/idea to fix the issue.

The “Act” stage completes the cycle and will either establish new performance baselines or return to the beginning of the PDCA cycle with more knowledge. This creates true continuous improvement.

The strategic importance of the Plan Do Check Act cycle

Using the Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) cycle offers big benefits for organisations, going far beyond just solving problems. It helps build a culture of continuous improvement, giving businesses a strong competitive edge. Here’s how:

• Making smarter, data-driven decisions: The PDCA cycle encourages decisions based on facts, not guesses. By collecting and analysing data, organisations can test if a change works before investing too much time or money.
• Reducing Risks: Testing changes on a small scale first helps avoid big failures. If a small test fails, it’s a chance to learn. But if a large-scale rollout fails, it can cause major problems.
• Creating Consistency: When a change works, the PDCA cycle helps standardise it. This means processes become more reliable and efficient across the organisation.
• Empowering Employees: The PDCA model encourages everyone in the organisation to suggest improvements and test ideas. This boosts engagement and makes employees feel more involved in the company’s success.
• Driving Continuous Improvement: The PDCA cycle is ongoing. Once one improvement is in place, the cycle starts again to tackle the next opportunity. Over time, these small improvements add up to big results.

When used effectively, it helps businesses grow, improve, and adapt continuously. By planning carefully, testing thoughtfully, reviewing results, and taking action, businesses can create a system for lasting success.

How can Citation Certification help?

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