The most basic Quality Improvement Cycle
PDCA Cycle
Act
Plan
Check
Do
Plan
 Define Customer requirements for product or service.
1. Marketing Research for new product or service.
2. Inquiries from potential customers.
 Define relevant Processes for:
1. Suppliers
2. Production Process
3. Personnel and Equipment needs
4. Facilities
5. Appraisal and Inspection
6. Delivery
7. Customer Feedback, etc.
Do
 Implement the processes as defined.
 Good ideas can fail.
 When a good idea fails, 90% of the time it is due to improper
implementation.
1. Are there adequate resources?
2. Are personnel adequately trained?
3. Is there a commitment from Management?
 Implementation is also a Process.
1. Is there an Owner for the Implementation Process?
2. Is there an Action Plan for Implementation?
3. Has the Implementation Plan been documented?
 Was there a trial run?
Check
 Are there problems with any Suppliers?
 Audit relevant Processes to see that they are implemented as designed.
 Identify key points in the Processes for monitoring.
 Identify the most important meaningful measurements for purposes of
monitoring the processes.
 Sample from the process to check for signals of Special Cause variation
or other problems.
 New processes must be sampled more frequently since they are not
well understood.
 What does Customer feedback say?
Act
 Resolve any Supplier problems.
 Fix any Process implementation problems.
 Remove any Special Cause variation in Processes.
 Is Process redesign necessary (does not meet expectations
or new technology becomes available).
 What are main issues from Customer feedback?