The PDSA cycle, developed by Dr. William Edwards Deming, is an iterative four-step management method for controlling and continuous improvement of products and processes. The steps are: Plan (identify a goal or purpose), Do (execute the planned changes on a small scale), Study (analyse the results)…The PDSA cycle, developed by Dr. William Edwards Deming, is an iterative four-step management method for controlling and continuous improvement of products and processes. The steps are: Plan (identify a goal or purpose), Do (execute the planned changes on a small scale), Study (analyse the results), and Act (if successful, implement the changes on a larger scale and continually assess results). This serves to promote alignment between the plans and actions of a team, and aids alignment with the overall strategy of the business.
Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle (PDSA) - A Complete Guide
What is the Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle (PDSA)? The PDSA Cycle is a systematic series of steps that are used for continuous improvement in business process management and quality control. It includes four stages - Plan, Do, Study (or Check), and Act.
Why is PDSA Important? PDSA is important as it allows organizations to experiment with changes, helping them to understand which changes will lead to improvements. It ensures a systematic understanding of which changes to implement, and if not effective, to revert without significantly affecting the processes.
How does PDSA Work? PDSA works as a cyclic process. In the Plan stage, a change or a plan to improve the process is designed. In the Do stage, the plan is executed on a small scale. The Study stage involves analysis of the results and lessons were learnt. In the Act stage, actions are taken based on what was learned in the Study step. Then, the process repeats with a new Plan stage.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on PDSA When addressing questions on PDSA in an exam: - Understand the question: If the question is about a specific stage, your answer should focus on that stage. - Sequence: Remember the sequence – Plan, Do, Study, Act. - PDSA is iterative: Remember, PDSA is a cycle and is designed for continuous improvements, so the 'Act’ phase could lead back to 'Plan' for further improvements. - Real Life Examples: If possible, use real life examples to explain how PDSA works, this shows your practical understanding of the subject.
PMI-ACP - The Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle (PDSA) Example Questions
Test your knowledge of The Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle (PDSA)
Question 1
After introducing a new payment gateway, customers start complaining about slow processing times. With the PDSA Cycle, how would you tackle this?
Question 2
Your team has recently deployed a new feature in a customer service application. However, the feature isn’t performing as expected based on initial feedback. As the Scrum Master, how would you navigate this situation using the PDSA Cycle?
Question 3
After implementing new changes to a complex billing system, the finance team has been encountering numerous issues. Investigations concluded that tests did not cover all scenarios. In the PDSA Cycle, what should be the next immediate action?
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