Deming Cycle (2)

The 4 passages of the Shewhart Cycle

Step 1. TO PLAN (PLAN).
First one is due to analyze and to study the process being decided that changes can improve it and in which it forms they will carry out. In order to obtain it he is advisable to work in a subcycle of 5 successive steps that are:
1. To define objetivo/os el/los. The limits of the project are due to fix and to clarify: What we are going to do? Why we are going it to do? What we want to obtain? Until where we want to arrive? Soon we happened to...
2. To collect the data. One is due to investigate: Which are the symptoms? Who are involved in the subject? What data are necessary? How we obtain them? Where we looked for them? What we are going to measure and with what? To whom we are going to consult?
3. To elaborate the diagnosis. The data are due to order and to analyze: What happens and why it happens? Which are the effects and which are the causes that cause them? Where they are originated and why? Now we can to choose a Plan of Action.
4. To elaborate prognoses. Results possible actions or treatments are due to predict as opposed to: We know what effects will cause certain changes? We must test previous? We must consult specialists? It is necessary to define the special situations? In front of several options we will adopt the one that we consider better.
5. To plan the changes. The actions and the changes are due to decide, to specify and to plan to orchestrate: What will become? Where it will be made? Who will do it? When they will do it? With what they will do it? How much it will cost?

 Step 2. TO DO (DO).
Next one is due to carry out the change and/or the tests projected according to the decision that have been taken and the planning that has been made. This is preferable to do it first in small scale whenever it can (to review results and power of establishing adjustments in models, soon to take them to the real situations of work with a greater confidence in the final result).

Step 3. TO CHECK (CHECK).
Once conducted the battle and restored the change, one is due to verify. It means to observe and to measure the effects produced by the change made to the process, without forgetting to compare the goals projected with the obtained results being checked if the objective of the predicted one has been obtained.

Step 4. TO ACT (ACTION).
In order to finish the cycle the results are due to study from the optics of the yield that lets the work to us in our "knowledge do" (know-how): What we learned? Where we can more apply it? How we will apply it scale to great? How it can be standardized? How we will maintain the improvement obtained? How we extend to other cases or areas?

Step 5. It consists of repeating Step 1, but of a new dimension or state due to the made improvement and there, INITIATING ANOTHER RETURN OF IMPROVEMENT.
It is to say: once stabilized the process in the new condition obtained by one it improves made specific, to propose a new cycle PDCA to raise another step in the search of the optimal ideal.

This simple technique that without giving account we applied us "very intuitively" whenever we faced a personal project or we are part of a group that is going it to develop, is an important TOOL that deserves to have itself very present when working professionally, without forgetting that its real effectiveness is in the order of its execution and the complete accomplishment of its 4 steps (P, D, C and A).