Enhancing and Restoring Safety & Quality Cultures - Dave Litwiller - May 2024...
PDCA scientific problem solving method introduction and overview
1. PLAN DO CHECK ACT (PDCA)
“The Scientific Method to Improvement”
Introduction and Overview
2. Learning Objectives
• Name 3 people who played a role in the origin of PDCA
• Describe 2 requirements of the PDCA Method to problem solving
• Describe each step of the acronym PDCA
• Name a Leader in Quality who supported and promoted PDCA scientific process
• Describe Where and When you should apply PDCA Method
• Describe How to apply PDCA Method to daily problems
3. Origin of Plan Do Check Act (PDCA)
also known as the Shewhart Cycle.
Sir Francis Bacon 1620
Created the Baconian Method, the “Scientific Method”
Scientific Method = "hypothesis/theory" - "experiment" - "evaluation" or plan, do, & check
He created the foundation for PDCA
Walter Shewhart 1924
Was an American physicist, engineer, and statistician.
Sometimes known as the Father of Statistical Quality control.
Created PDCA cycle while working at Western Electric / Bell Laboratories
Edwards Deming 1924
Deming was Walter Shewhart’s boss at Western Electric / Bell Laboratories
Made PDCA popular through his work as a Leader in Quality
Deming preferred Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) while teaching quality in Japan in the 1950’s
4. What is the Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) Method?
PDCA:
is a Scientific Method to solving problems
requires facts, measurement, objective analysis and
critical thinking surrounding the problem
requires data and numerical evidence of the problem
is designed to be applied over and over again, not
just one time
– referred to as “Closed Loop Thinking”
naturally increases knowledge of the individual(s)
evaluating the causes of a problem
5. Standards, Process Improvement and the PDCA Method
The Current Constant
Standard serves Consistent
as &
“The Chock” Continuous
to PREVENT Change for
BACKSLIDING” the Better
A If we DON’T continuously improve we
PROCESS will experience a NATURALLY occurring
Re-action!
“CHAOS” WILL TAKE OVER > STANDARDS WILL BACKSLIDE
7. Plan
“When faced with a problem, we naturally begin to ask questions”
• What is the problem?
• Why is the problem occurring?
• How does the problem start?
• What are the causes of the problem?
• Can we measure the problem?
Plan =
Identify, Define, Measure, create a baseline, set a goal/target
Create a “test/trial” and corrective actions to improve the
problem using a Scientific Method to obtain a different result
8. Do
“Let’s go test our corrective action to the problem”
• Run a Trial and measure the results
• Test what we believe is the best / workable approach
• Use the data and facts from Plan step as Baseline
Do =
Implement the Plan
Perform the Test/Trial you created
Monitor the change during implementation
9. Check
“Were the results what we expected?”
• Measure to Validate and Verify what changed
• Compare results of test to baseline data
• If a change occurred, ask Why did it change?
• Did the problem: get better, get worse, or stay the same?
Check =
Reflect and compare baseline data to new data obtained from test
Determine if an improvement occurred
10. Act
“Implement the New and Improved Standard”
• Stabilize new Standard
• Train others to new method
• Update process improvement metrics where and when required
• Share new standard
• Re-Apply the PDCA Method over again.
Act =
If No improvement occurred Go Back to Plan
If a change for the better occurred then Stabilize
and Standardize the new method, teach others of
new method and start the PDCA cycle again.
12. Learning Objectives
• Name 3 people who played a role in the origin of PDCA
• Describe 2 requirements of the PDCA Method to problem solving
• Describe each step of the acronym PDCA
• Name a Leader in Quality who supported and promoted PDCA scientific process
• Describe Where and When you should apply PDCA Method
• Describe How to apply PDCA Method to daily problems