PDCA

A method popularized in Japan for continually improving processes is the Deming Cycle, also known as PDCA. The PDCA is effective for factory floor or bottoms up method to continuously improve the process. It stands for

Plan

In this phase, analyze what you intend to improve, looking for areas that hold opportunities for change. The first step is to choose areas that offer the most return for the effort you put in-the biggest bang for your buck.

Do

Implement the change you decided on in the plan phase.

Check

This is a crucial step in the PDCA cycle. After you have implemented the change for a short time, you must determine how well it is working. Is it really leading to improvement in the way you had hoped?

Act

After planning a change, implementing and then monitoring it, you must decide whether it is worth continuing that particular change. If it consumed too much of your time, was difficult to adhere to, or even led to no improvement, you may consider aborting the change and planning a new one. However, if the change led to a desirable improvement or outcome, you may consider expanding the trial to a different area, or slightly increasing your complexity. This sends you back into the Plan phase.