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It's always a great feeling to come up with a solution to a problem. But rolling out big changes can be risky. You need to know whether the solution you've found will actually work.
The Plan-Do-Check-Act model, sometimes known as Plan-Do-Study-Act, was created for just this situation.
It was originally developed by Dr William Edwards Deming to identify why some products fail to meet customer expectations.
Plan-Do-Check-Act (or PDCA) doesn't just help you to solve problems. It gives you a way to test solutions before you decide to go ahead with them.
By following four steps, the model works as a feedback loop for continually improving processes, products or services.
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The first step is to Plan.
Take time to identify and define the problem. Then, brainstorm ideas and choose your solution to the problem.
Define your expectations, too. What outcomes do you want? And what are your criteria for success?
The next step is to Do.
Test your solution with a small-scale pilot project. This will minimize disruption to your normal operations if your changes don't work.
Remember that, in this situation, Do means "try" or "test." Full implementation comes later, in the Act stage.
The third phase is Check.
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Also known as the Study phase, this is where you evaluate the results of your pilot project against your criteria from the planning phase.
If your solution didn't work, go back to the first stage. But if your solution did have the desired outcomes, you can move on to phase four, which is to Act.
However, it might be worth going through the Do and Check phases again for good measure, or to trial a few changes. Only move on to the Act stage when you're completely satisfied with the trial outcome.
In the Act stage, you implement your solution, rolling it out across your team or organization, or with your customers.
Because your idea has already been tested, you can be confident it will have the desired result.
Plan, Do, Check, and Act is a continuous process, so it doesn't stop with successful implementation.
Your improved product or process now becomes the new baseline, and you can apply PDCA to new ideas in a constant loop of improvement and adjustment.
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To learn more about the Plan-Do-Check-Act Model, see the article that accompanies this video.
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