 Plan, do, check, act is similar with DMAIC (Define, measure, analyze,

improve, control)
 PDCA Cycle
 Plan
 Identify and understand your problem or opportunity.
 Explore information available in full.
 Generate screen ideas and develop a robust implementation plan.
 State success criteria and make them as measurable as possible.
 Do
 Once potential solution is identified, test it safely with a small-
scale pilot project. This will show whether your purpose changes
achieved the desired outcome – with minimal disruption to the rest
of your operation if they don’t.
 I.E: you could organize a trial within a department, in a limited
geographical area, or with a particular demographic.
 While running the project, gather data and document processes to
show whether the change has worked or not.
 Check
 Analyze pilot project’s result against the defined criteria in “Plan”
Step. If it wasn’t then return to “Plan” Step if it was then advance
to “Act” Step.
 You may decide to try out more changes and repeat the “Do” and
“Check” phases, but if the original plan is not working then you’ll
need to return to “Plan” step.
 Act
 This is where you implement solutions. But remember PDCA is a
loop, not a process with a beginning and end. Your improved
process or product becomes the new baseline, but you continue to
look for ways to make it even better. (Kaizen – Continuous
Improvement)
 Useful in all type of situations.
 Used to improve any process or product, by breaking them down into
smaller steps or development stages and exploring ways to improve each
one.
 It is particularly helpful to apply total quality management or Six Sigma
initiatives, and for improving business processes generally.
 Total Quality Management (TQM)
 TQM has 3 main opportunities to make improvements and
increase efficiency:
1. External Customers
  “What can you do to make sure your
customers are completely satisfied with your
product or service?”
2. Internal Customers
 “How can you make sure your suppliers
and staff know what they need to deliver so
you can produce a quality product or
service?”
3. Business processes
 “How can you improve the processes
themselves, decreasing costs and time
spent?”
 Applying TQM philosophy can lead to deliver high-quality
products and services and create a great working
environment to attract and retain staff.