Deming's Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycle
The PDSA Cycle uses a systematic series of steps to gain data for the continual improvement of a product or process.
Deming's PDSA Cycle
The process is called a "cycle" because the steps are continually repeated. The PDSA Cycle contains four primary steps. These four steps are repeated over and over as part of a never-ending cycle of continual improvement.
Let's see how we can apply these steps to improve the CSMS:
- Plan. Identify a safety goal, supporting objectives, strategies and metrics to measure the change. It's important to limit the scope of the change to reduce the number variables. Too many variables can make it difficult to determine specifically the causes for the results of the change.
- Do. Implement the change, such as a new safety procedure. Make changes at one location to limit the negative impact if the changes do not work.
- Study. Monitor the change to see if it works. Test the validity of the outcomes of the change for signs of progress and success, or problems and areas for improvement.
- Act. Choose one of the following three actions when the cycle is complete:
- If the change works, keep it
- If the change needs improvement, continue the cycle making small changes
- If the change does not work at all, throw it out and start over
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
10-3. In which PDSA cycle phase do we monitor to test the validity of the outcomes?
You forgot to answer the question!