PDCA Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act)
Plan:
• Overall responsibility of top management.
• Formulates the quality policy and objectives which describes
the intentions and direction of the Management policies as well
as its Commitment to Quality. Quality Policy must be
communicated within the organization.
• In this phase, the organization has to identify the significant
processes and prioritize the opportunities for the enhancement
of customers’ satisfaction and for the continuous improvement
of its operations’ performance.
Do:
• The stated objectives and processes are now introduced and
implemented.
• Resources are made available and responsibilities determined.
Ensure that employees and other participants are aware of and
capable of carrying out their quality management responsibilities. The
realization of the quality management system begins.
Check:
• A QMS requires a process for compliance and valuation of legalrelated regulations. Internal audits can verify that the management
system operates properly and generates the planned results.
• The processes are monitored with regards to legal, products’ and
services’ specifications or other requirements (customer
requirements, internal policies) as well as to the objectives of the
quality management of the organization.
Act:
• Top management prepares a evaluation summary based on the
internal audit reports called management review.
• The results will be evaluated on their performance level and if
necessary, corrective or preventive actions can be initiated.
• Operations-related processes are optimized and new strategic
goals are derived and being set.