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PDCA Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act)

Problem solvingProcess improvement

Reference model

PDCA CycleA cycle of 4 steps that repeats: 1, Plan; 2, Do; 3, Check; 4, Act; after the last step the cycle returns to the first.PlanIdentify a goal or purpose,and plan a chan…1DoImplement the change on asmall scale.2CheckReview the results andcompare them against…3ActIf successful, implementthe change on a la…4

The PDCA cycle is a repeating loop: each pass uses what was learned in the last one.

About this model

A four-step cycle for continuous improvement: Plan a change and expected result, Do it on a small scale, Check the results against the expectation, and Act by standardising what worked or adjusting the plan for the next loop.

Originator not stated.

How to read it

  • Read clockwise: Plan, Do, Check, Act, then return to Plan with what you learned.
  • Plan sets the goal, metric and change; Do tests it on a small scale.
  • Check compares the actual result with the target; Act decides whether to standardise, adjust or abandon.
  • The loop is meant to be repeated; a single pass is rarely the end of the improvement.

What this does

Helps a team decide whether a process change worked and what to do next, by running one controlled loop of planning, doing, checking results against a target, and acting on the findings.

When to use it

Use it when a team needs to improve a process step by step, test a change on a small scale, and make sure the improvement is real before rolling it out or making it standard.

Not when: Do not use it when an urgent crisis needs an immediate fix with no time to test and learn, or when the problem has no measurable result you can compare against a baseline.

What happens next

If the target was met, standardise the change (update procedures, train staff) and start a new cycle on the next improvement. If not, return to Plan with what you learned, and use a root cause tool such as 5 Whys or a fishbone diagram to refine the hypothesis.

Golden thread

Builds on ←

  • Problem statement or root cause analysis
  • Baseline process data

Feeds into →

  • Process improvement plan
  • Standard operating procedure update

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Drafted with AI and reviewed by Eccellere on 04/11/2026. Guidance, not advice: apply your own judgement.