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THE PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT CYCLE
The PDCA cycle, as much as a lot think, is not related to the CAPA process only. Actually, the PDCA cycle is true to the whole quality management system. The principle of the PDCA cycle exists in all our daily life aspects: professional and personal. We use it both formally and un formally. The PDCA cycle never ends. Its objective is to maintain the continual improvement.
Note: The PDCA cycle is not (!!) one of the ISO 9001 Standard requirements. But it is an efficient tool for achieving its requirements, especially the requirement from chapter 8.5 – Improvement. In fact the ISO 9001 Standard highly recommend using this model.
THE PDCA HISTORY
The PDCA cycle was first developed in the year 1920 by Walter Shewhart. Later it became more popular thanks to our spiritual father W. Edward Deming.
THE PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT AND THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The process approach promoted by ISO 9001:2000, systematically identifies and manages processes that combine your quality system and the interactions between the processes. This process model is actually based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle (PDCA) which can be applied to all processes. Related to the quality management system, the PDCA cycle is a dynamic cycle that could be implemented about any process within the organization. It combines planning, implementing, controlling and continual improvement within the realization processes. You can look at it that way – you would maintain continual improvement when you will implement the PDCA cycle throughout your processes, in any kind of processes: management's review, CAPA, product realization, etc. You can determine implementing the PDCA at the core process, at a minor process or even at several processes together. It could be that your plan would not affect directly your final customer what so ever. ELEMENTS OF PDCA
Plan – The planning is combined out of the WH questions:
- What is required to be done? Set the activities needed to achieve improvements.
- How much is required to be done? Set the objectives you would like to achieve (which are appropriate to customer requirements and the organization's policy or objectives).
- Where it is required to be done? Set the processes necessary for the results.
- Who should do it? Set the resources required to achieve the results.
- When it is required to be done? Set time frames in which you would like to achieve the improvement.
Planning should come after you located exactly where you need improvement. That means that you should conduct your inquiry before the PDCA process. How do you plan? There is not a defined way for planning. Each organization should plan according to its own environment. But of course, document the plan. Do – Realize your plan. Set the plan out for the relevant parties for realization. Actually, this is the hard part. Put words into actions. Therefore, try to make the plan as clear as possible, specific as possible or detailed as possible. Maybe even consider writing the plan with the participants themselves so they would set the appropriate activities. Try to make the DO part easier for them to carry out. Check - Monitor and measure the processes and the products according to the plan, policies, objectives and requirements. You planned something and you expect results. Now it is time to review the results. Then, report the results. This part is crucial. For every question presented above (the WH questions) you must deliver the results. According to the results you would advance to the next step - Act. Act – Take measures and activities for improving the performance. Where you are not satisfied with the results – improve! This is the point where you review your plan and improve it. Examine in which parameters your failed to get the required results and try another way. This is the constant improvement. This is the never ending cycle. It could be slowed down, but never rest.
The next diagram presents graphically the PDCA process and its continual cycle.
The PDCA is not a complicated process to implement but to achieve its maximum effect you must conduct it correctly. Like the mentioned above.
A tip: This diagram was made with Smart Draw software. Actually, it didn't take us so long and we sure don't have any time to spare... When you need to document your organization's QMS - it sometimes takes hours to sketch the processes and to make the diagrams with the conventional tool (MS tools - including Visio). On an average Quality management system you have dozens of diagrams. We know because we documented a lot (!!!) of quality management systems - the drawings consume time. This software is really making our quality managers' life much easier. Get your free trail now! SmartDraw.com.
SUMMERY
- The principle of the PDCA cycle exists in all our daily life aspects: professional and personal. We use it both formally and informally. Its objective is to maintain the continual improvement.
- The PDCA cycle is not one of the ISO 9001 Standard requirements.
- This ISO 9001 Standard process model is actually based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle (PDCA) which can be applied to all processes.
- The PDCA cycle is a dynamic cycle that could be implemented within any process throughout the organization.
- Plan - The planning is combined of the WH questions: What is required to be done? How much is required to be done? Where it is required to be done? Who should do it? When it is required to be done?
- Do – After planning you must realize your plan – put words into actions.
- Check - Monitor and measure the processes and the products according to the plan, policies, objectives and requirements.
- Act – take measures and activities to improve the performance.
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