Plan-Do-Check-Act. Also known as the Shewhart Cycle or the Deming Cycle or Deming Circle. Also called PDSA (Plan do Study Act).
PDCA is the fundamental way of doing improvement work using facts and data. Similar to the scientific method (hypothesis, experiment, evaluate). Seddon proposes Check Plan Do for service functions. The aim of PDCA and similar cycles is to deepen knowledge and understanding, and the PDCA approach permeates everywhere in Lean Six Sigma. The DMAIC process in practice operates as PDCA iterative loops rather than a once-through procedure.
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