A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

• Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Human nature can easily slip into any root cause analysis (RCA) process. We want to take the easy way out in difficulty situations. It is hard to gather meaningful data, dive deep into a problem without prejudice and apply our reconciled notions as to what is correct and accurate. It is a trap that can easily be sprung on those who lack the will to face the hard truths of a situation.

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a systematic process for identifying the root causes of problems or events and an approach for responding to them. It is based on the basic idea that effective management requires more than merely putting out fires for problems that develop, but finding a way to prevent them. A focused RCA process helps organizations avoid the tendency to single out one factor to arrive at the most expedient resolution. It also helps to avoid treating symptoms rather than true, underlying problems that contribute to a problem or event.

All too often, a team will quickly jump to conclusions without having accurate data available. They have seen the problem before, so that must be what happened now. It makes things simpler to move straight to correction rather than deep dive into the problem. That is the human element that can steer us wrong. Assumption is dangerous and the facts can only be brought to the surface with solid data.

Jumping to conclusions and guessing can be dangerous. A guess should be based on the facts on hand. One or two facts alone may not lead to any conclusion, but taken as a whole, the facts may contain the key to unlocking the root cause. Such a guess should be viewed as a tentative hypothesis; assume it is true for the sake of testing, and then test the hypothesis. It is OK to be wrong in such situations because the testing may yield new information that drives the investigation forward.

Use Root Cause Analysis to Challenge

When you develop a hypothesis, you must challenge it! The typical response to developing a hypothesis is to energetically defend it. The most appropriate thing you can do with a hypothesis during a root cause analysis is to try every way possible to shoot it down. Look for the defects and errors. If it holds up to intense scrutiny, then you may just have a resolution. A strong belief in an incorrect hypothesis can lead to failing to identify the root cause, which in turn leads to a failure to implement the type of corrective actions needed to prevent a reoccurrence.

Root cause analysis should be driven by hypotheses that seek to explain the failure using both the evidence at hand, and new data generated though testing and evaluation. Take out the elements of natural human behavior to take the easy way out and listen to the hard truths. Don’t fall into the trap of easy and be challenged.

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The core of root cause analysis (RCA) is to properly identify the underlying problems of an issue. It is one of the most widely used retrospective methods for detecting issues. RCA uses a systematic approach to identify both active errors and latent errors which contribute to adverse events. RCA helps organizations avoid the tendency to single out one factor to arrive at the most expedient (but generally incomplete) resolution. It also helps to avoid treating symptoms rather than true, underlying problems that contribute to a problem or event. More often than not, we tend to assess blame and focus on just the mistakes made by individuals.

Most RCA experts believe that achievement of total prevention by a single intervention is not always possible, and see RCA as an ongoing process that strives for continuous improvement. It is not a one-size-fits-all methodology. There are many different tools, processes, and philosophies of accomplishing RCA. In fact, it was born out of a need to analyze various enterprise activities. RCA should follow a specified protocol that begins with data collection and reconstruction of the event in question through record review and participant interviews. A multidisciplinary team should analyze the sequence of events leading to the error, with the goals of identifying how the event occurred.

The outcome of the root cause analysis is an action plan that the organization intends to implement in order to reduce the risk of similar events occurring in the future. The plan should address responsibility for implementation, oversight, pilot testing as appropriate, timelines, and strategies for measuring the effectiveness of actions. Organizations can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations through addressing the root issues of problems. For the purpose of an RCA, the focus should be on systems”how to improve systems to prevent the occurrence of events or problems. It involves digging into the organization’s systems to find new ways to do things.

For more information and training on RCA, click here.

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A root cause analysis (RCA) is a means to get to the bottom of a problem or unexpected event. Root cause analyses are important to undertake when your project or product is not what was expected. Root cause analyses aim at improving products or processes – quality – and they must be undertaken in systematic ways in order to be effective. There are several tools involved with RCA; this video takes a look at the 5 Whys and Fishbone Diagram.

Checkout this informative and educational video!

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For lean to be truly effective, it needs effective lean leadership to champion lean principles, offer guidance, and ensure that lean is being used to optimize the entire organizational system for value delivery. It requires a shift in mindset from that of a supervisor, to that of a teacher or coach. The most effective practitioners of lean leadership gently, by example, lead by ensuring that lean principles are being applied with the right goal in mind.

This is often easier said than done for some leaders. You know who they are. Micromanagers with hair-trigger tempers that run roughshod over employees in the name of productivity and results. They forget that the basic tenets of lean methodology are all about the employee or front line worker. Strength in lean depends on employees being empowered to act and be supported by lean leadership. The concepts of heavy-handed micromanagement and lean methodologies are just not compatible.

The role of lean leadership is that of a coach. Coaches align their teams around a common goal. They arm their teams with the tools for success, and encourage them to make smart decisions that will allow for sustainable, competitive growth. They give their employees more control over their work and over decisions about how work should be done, because they realize that the workforce is smarter than they are about the systems the team works on. Many enlightened organizations also find that, when empowered, the workforce can respond to situations more quickly. Empowering workers also means giving them the knowledge they need to take on the responsibility for decision-making.

Tips for Effective Lean Leadership

• Attend the Gemba – Be seen everyday and be involved. You cannot lead from your office. Spend time with employees everyday.
• Live the 5 Why’s – Understanding comes from asking why, not marking orders. Get down to the root cause and educate.
• Communication is the Key – Meet every day. It takes 10 minutes to ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Think in Value Stream – See your organization from the eyes of the customer. Focus the team on meeting takt time and when that has been met, redeploy the labor somewhere else.
• Notice and Prioritize – Pay attention and visualize the operation. What you overlook or fail to identify, is what you accept. Employees respond to what you see as important.

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As a Lean Six Sigma professional, we are fascinated with the question of “why” when we see failure in business practices. It is in our DNA to ask that question and drill down, to expose the facts. When you look at two recent business failures, our heads are filled with the question “why.” The failure of Takata and Samsung have been the best examples of business failure that you should understand and examine.

Quality Failure of Epic Proportion

The quality failure of Takata and Samsung have shaken their industries to the core. What is puzzling for Lean Six Sigma practitioners is the fact that both industries touted themselves as being fully immersed in the practice of Lean Six Sigma. Even more disturbing is the relationship of Takata with Toyota, who is often seen as the “gold standard” of quality improvement. Without the advantage of having intimate details of both organizations, one can only speculate on the causes of their epic failures. Those details will probably never be available outside of the highest levels of those organizations. However, a reasonable Lean Six Sigma professional can only speculate as to why these failures occurred. That speculation reasonably states that the failures can be linked directly to failures in the quality processes. Their commitment to the practices and philosophies of Lean Six Sigma practices slipped on a major scale.

Understanding the Important

As Lean Six Sigma professionals, you must take a look at at these two failures with the best detailed scrutiny available. The analysis will undoubtedly show that there were breaches in their systems and process. Their integrity and commitment to quality improvement practices were compromised to a point that there was no possibility of return. Their behavior not only damages their brand, but has shaken the confidence of their customers, which will not be short-lived. It will be a long hard climb for Takata and Samsung back to a point of respect in their industries.

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Brainstorming combines a relaxed, informal approach to problem solving with lateral thinking. It encourages people to come up with thoughts and ideas that can, at first, seem a bit crazy. Some of these ideas can be crafted into original, creative solutions to a problem, while others can spark even more ideas. This helps to get people unstuck by “jolting” them out of their normal ways of thinking. This tool can be an extremely powerful and effective tool in the Six Sigma toolbox. It allows things to be stirred up and the layers of complex issues peeled back to expose the truths!

4 Keys to Effective Brainstorming

The ideal situation when things just click is exactly the place brainstorming gets you to. It allows ideas and situations to come together and create the perfect storm for creativity. Some industries are much better at the practice than others. Businesses that are more of a creative environment tend to understand and use the concept more comfortably. Businesses who are more technical ‘rules followers’ are less likely to be comfortable with a brainstorm session. The fact is, using a brainstorm session can be equally successful in any business environment, regardless of the creative structure. To take advantage of this powerful tool, you simply need to set some basic ground rules. The importance of these rules are more focused on respect for others vs. following secured rules. Here are the four basic rules to establish a proper brainstorm:

1. No Such Thing As A Dumb Idea – All cards are on the table. The group must be able to feel comfortable that their ideas are plausible. Open yourself up to the possibilities.
2. No Criticism – It’s not a debate about the technical merits. It is about what is possible!
3. Build on Other’s Ideas – When an idea is put on the table, open your mind and imagine how to build on that. Avoid the technical and see how you can layer a path for improvement.
4. Avoid Quality vs. Quantity – This presents a challenge for a more structured business. The tool isn’t about the technical aspects, but about the idea. Go for the quantity every time to be successful. The more ideas that are on the table, the more you will be open to possibilities.

The brainstorm tool keeps the wheels of collaboration turning. It can unfreeze the curiosity of many and encourage their ideas to flow. Keep the rules of the tool to basic respect and you will find a goldmine that will flow into your business! There is no such thing as a bad idea.

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Is There a Problem?

Is there a problem with root cause analysis? Depends on how you look at it. First, let’s understand what it is. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a method of problem solving used for identifying the root causes of faults or problems. A factor is considered a root cause if removal thereof from the problem-fault-sequence prevents the final undesirable event from recurring. Just by the singular title, some look for that single, underlying problem or issue that needs to be resolved. The name itself implies that there is only one root cause, when in reality most problems are usually caused by a complex combination of several factors, some of which are more significant than others.

A Thorough Examination Through Root Cause Analysis

For some, this may be a simple case of semantics. The fact remains that in many cases when using the RCA tool, quality experts find it simple enough to claim victory in a situation with a singular causation. That could be accurate, but more times than not, it simply isn’t the case. An issue that requires attention may have a varied mix of simple and complex causes for failure. To properly address some of these issues requires a structured approach to brainstorming. This will guide the problem-solving team through the various categories of potential causal factors so that the team does not overlook some potentially important causes which lurk in the shadows. The most efficient quality experts will opt for having a cross-functional team help explore the possible causes and potential solution to the problem. Nothing short of a through and exhaustive examination will suffice.

Getting Results That Stick

When the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is properly exercised, the varied and complex issues will be brought to light. It requires a multi-disciplined approach that is both systematic and based on fact. Achieving long term quality improvements starts with an effective root case analysis. The best approach is a properly designed, sequential set of experiments. If a solution exists, a thorough RCA offers the best chance for thoroughly understanding all the issues involved, no matter how complex or simplistic.

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Most problems are dealt with in superficial ways.  Very few people and organizations actually arrive at the root cause of their problems.  At Toyota, they employ Root Cause analysis in almost everything they do.  One problem solving approach they employ is the Lean A3 Problem Solving Method.

A3 is a paper size, typically 11″ x 17″.  There are actually several A3-type paper sizes, and Toyota believes that when you structure your problem solving around 1 page of paper, then your thinking is focused and structured.

Below are the steps of the A3 process, followed by a real-world example of an A3 collaborative problem solving that I was a part of while I spent a short time at Toyota.  The steps below are taken from Dr. Durward Sobek’s very informative site [1. http://www.montana.edu/dsobek/a3/]:

Identify Problem or Need

Whenever the way work happens is not ideal, or when a goal or objective is not being met, you have a problem (or, if you prefer, a need). The best problems to work on are those that arise in day-to-day work and prevent you from doing your best.

Understand Current Situation

Before a problem can be properly addressed, one must have a firm grasp of the current situation. To do this, Toyota suggests that problem-solvers:

• Observe the work process first hand, and document observations
• Create a diagram that shows how the work is done – a value stream map will be helpful here.
• Quantify the magnitude of the problem (e.g., % of customer deliveries that are late, # of stock outs in a month, # of errors reported per quarter, % of work time that is value-added); if possible, represent the data graphically.

Root Cause Analysis

Once you have a good understanding of how the process (i.e., the one that needs to be fixed) currently works, it’s time to figure out what the root causes are to the errors or inefficiency. To accomplish this, first make a list of the main problem(s). Next, ask the appropriate why? questions until you reach the root cause. A good rule-of-thumb is that you haven’t reached the root cause until you’ve asked why? at least five times in series.

Main Components of an Ishikawa Diagram

1. At the head of the Fishbone is the defect or effect, stated in the form of a question.
2. The major bones are the capstones, or main groupings of causes.
3. The minor bones are detailed items under each capstone.
4. There are common capstones, but they may or may not apply to your specific problem. The common ones are:

• People
• Equipment
• Material
• Information
• Methods/Procedures
• Measurement
• Environment

After completing your Fishbone Diagram excercise as a group, it is helpful to test your logic by working the bones: top-down OR bottom-up like:

this happens because of g; g happens because of f; f happens because of e; e happens because of d; d happens because of c; c happens because of b; b happens because of a.

The excercise above is crucially important ” you must test your logic so that it makes pragmatic sense and that the atomic root cause is actionable ” that is, you can do something to correct it, reduce it, or eliminate the root cause.

Once you or your team arrive at a root cause for a specific capstone, then you typically cloud it to identify it as a root cause. A good rule is that there is typically *NOT* 1 root cause for a problem, but potentially several. Below is a diagram of one fishbone, decomposed:

Countermeasures

Once the current situation is fully understood and the root cause(s) for the main problem(s) has been unveiled, it’s time to devise some countermeasures. Countermeasures are the changes to be made to the work processes that will move the organization closer to ideal, or make the process more efficient, by addressing root causes. Generally speaking, we recommend that countermeasures help the process conform to three rules borrowed from Steven Spear and Kent Bowen and slightly expanded:

• Specify the outcome, content, sequence, and task of work activities
• Create clear, direct connections between requestors and suppliers of goods and services.
• Eliminate loops, workarounds, and delays

Develop the Target State

The countermeasure(s) addressing the root cause(s) of the problem will lead to new ways of getting the work done, what we call the target condition or target state. It describes how the work will get done with the proposed countermeasures in place. In the A3 report, the target condition should be a diagram (similar to the current condition) that illustrates how the new proposed process will work. The specific countermeasures should be noted or listed, and the expected improvement should be predicted specifically and quantitatively.

Implementation Plan

In order to reach the target state, one needs a well thought-out and workable implementation plan. The implementation plan should include a list of the actions that need to be done to get the countermeasures in place and realize the target condition, along with the individual responsible for each task and a due date. Other relevant items, such as cost, may also be added.

A3 Example

Below is an example from an A3 project.  The context for the A3 Report below is around the question “Why was the end-of-shift clean-up not being completed?”  This question drove the team to follow the A3 method and subsequent root cause analysis to arrive at the root causes and implement solutions.  This activity below was done proactively done by the team with full support from management.

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Cause and effect analysis is a great way to study the chain of events that led to specific developments in your process, and it can get as detailed as you want it to be, in order to give you a complete overview of the situation. However, by itself, it doesn’t give you the full picture that you could obtain by combining it with other popular methodologies. Regression analysis is a good candidate for that, and it’s a great way to improve the results you get from your cause and effect analysis.

Regression analysis allows you to identify the exact relationships between variables, and to see how changing one variable affects the system as a whole, so it shouldn’t be hard to see the connection between it and cause and effect analysis. It can allow you to get a more focused overview of the way different inputs affect the final output, and it can be a great way to optimize your work and apply cause and effect analysis even more efficiently.

Streamlining Your Work Through Effective Analysis

One of the most common ideas in lean and Six Sigma is to minimize waste as much as possible, and ensure that your resources are being used in an optimal way. There are many tools available to work in that direction, and cause and effect analysis can actually be incredibly useful for that specific purpose. When you’re working with regression analysis in combination with it, you’ll know exactly how specific variables impact the quality of the output.

More importantly, you’ll know which variables have no effect at all, at least when it comes to the important parts of the output. This makes it easy to identify areas which would be a waste of effort if you’re trying to optimize the process. On the contrary, it will show you where you need to be more active and think more deeply about how the process can be changed.

Fine-Grained Analysis

Regression analysis will also allow you to prioritize the factors uncovered in cause and effect analysis, and to know which ones have a bigger impact on your operations in their current state. This addresses a well-known flaw in cause and effect analysis, as the technique is sometimes not ideal for sorting the different variables by their importance. When you’re working with regression analysis on the side, you can get a much more informative overview of how things are related at the moment.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to dig that deeply regression analysis is simply a tool that allows you to optionally take a closer look at the situation. Sometimes it will turn out that it’s not actually necessary to even use it in combination with cause and effect analysis, as it may already give you all the information you need alone. But for situations where that’s not the case, and you do need to examine the state of things more closely, this is easily the handiest tool you’ll find available.

Let’s recap:

• When performing a cause and effect analysis, the team brainstorms POTENTIAL factors that effect your output.
• Regression analysis statistically quantifies the ACTUAL factors that effect your output.

Conclusion

Cause and effect analysis is a great way come up with ideas on where to focus your effort, in order to prevent further problems from developing. But its true power tends to shine when combined with regression analysis, which allows you to take a more precise look at the way things work, and to figure out and prioritize the intricate statistical relationships between variables. You don’t always have to use the two together like that, but it can definitely help in some cases, and learning to recognize them is a skill you’ll want to master as quickly as possible.

To learn more about Regression Analysis, consider taking Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt training.

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Does 8D Have Applications Outside of Auto Manufacturing?

When Ford developed the Eight Disciplines or 8D for short method to address issues within their organization, they actually created something much greater. They didn’t just resolve their own problems, but they gave the world a tool that has proven very useful in getting rid of problems of all sorts, drilling down to the root cause in a systematic manner.

A common misconception is that the 8D method is primarily suited for auto manufacturing and related industries. While that’s the environment it originated in, the system is flexible enough to be applied in various other contexts with relative ease. What’s ultimately needed is an experienced hand, guiding the process and applying each step correctly. Understanding the eight steps is not that difficult in general, and it can be a useful bit of knowledge for anyone in a leadership position, or responsible for solving a problem.

• D1 Plan everything related to lean processes starts with proper planning. The 8D method is no exception, and it’s important to develop a good understanding of the bigger picture before you take any action at all. It’s not much use implementing strategies and attempting to put them to action without a solid plan to work on. Gathering information and data, and conducting interviews is typically done at this time.
• D2 Use a team the people implementing the solution to any given problem must be specifically chosen to have experience in that area, and to have a fundamental understanding of the process involved. These should be experts involved with the problem, not people who are simply available.
• D3 Develop interim containment plan it’s critical to develop actions that can isolate the problem to a sufficient degree, allowing the team to focus solely on implementing a solution to it. This stops the “bleeding” of the problem to the customer. Depending on how much the problem affects other areas of operation in the organization, this may prove to be a very difficult step. Sufficient attention has to be paid to it, especially if the problem has the potential to have long-term implications.
• D4 Determine and verify root causes and escape points the next step should be to get to the root cause of the problem. This is a separate area in itself and can get complicated quite fast, but it’s important in ensuring the long-term validity of the solution developed. If you’re not confident that you’re addressing the true root cause, the problem may end up resurfacing in a different form some time later.
• D5 Verify permanent corrections (PCs) for problem will resolve problem for the customer even if the solution was planned and implemented correctly, there’s no guarantee that it will actually lead to a resolution for the customer. Proper analysis and testing will ensure that the solution is the correct one, and as long as the organization’s model is understood correctly, it should be perfectly possible to predict the outcome of every part of the solution.
• D6 Define and implement corrective actions after everything has been analyzed and tested properly, the actual implementation of corrective actions can begin. As long as the planning was done to a satisfying degree, this should be a straightforward process that doesn’t require any special additional input.
• D7 Prevent recurrence/system problems depending on how the problem occurred in the first place, it can sometimes be very challenging to ensure that it never resurfaces. This is the final challenging step in the process, and one that requires no less attention than the ones before it. If you don’t want to end up having to repeat the whole exercise from the start, it’s very important that you use the knowledge gained during the root cause analysis and take appropriate corrective measures with it.
• D8 Congratulate your team this might sound like it doesn’t need a separate step of its own, but the failure to recognize this is a common problem for many unsuccessful leaders. It’s important that everyone on your team is shown clearly that their contributions matter and are valued by everyone, especially the higher-ups in the company.

Conclusion

As you can see, there’s nothing really specific to the 8D method that limits its use to the automotive industry. It’s a universal process that can be easily applied to other industries, and even organizations in the service or nonprofit worlds. All it takes is a clear understanding of the organization’s underlying processes, and the requirements that each of those processes is trying to satisfy. The rest comes down to gathering the right data and integrating it into your solution appropriately.

Learn more about 8D >>>

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Why Understanding Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Is Critical to any Organization

It doesn’t matter how big your organization is or what area it operates in, there are some core concepts to project management and general leadership that are critical to understand if you want to ensure things are moving in the right direction. When you encounter ­a problem during the regular course of the organization’s operation, for example, it’s important to know how to get to the true underlying cause of the issue, so you can prevent it from resurfacing in the future.

The basics of root cause analysis

As the name implies, the method seeks to identify the root cause for any issue. Keep in mind that RCA is typically not concerned with developing a proper solution, but rather it will point you in the right direction with regards to what the problem is in the first place.

What’s a root cause, specifically? In technical terms, it’s an aspect of the organization which, when changed, completely resolves the original problem. Knowing how to differentiate the root cause from the various intermediate issues that may arise during its analysis is a skill every leader should possess.

Most often, this involves a process breakdown in the business. We cannot assign the cause to the worker who made the mistake, or the department that hired the employee. We need to determine the lack of on-boarding process for the employee, or the lack of qualification process that needs to be improved.

Dr. Edwards Deming said that 94% of all business problems are management’s fault, since they control the processes. Before we look at individuals as the root cause, we must first review all processes and make sure they are not to blame. In almost all cases, we will find an undefined or lacking process that has many opportunities for improvement!

What if there is no root cause?

When we are investing a problem, it is often assumed that every problem is a result of something going wrong. A step was skipped, a part was put in backwards, a typo was made, a field was left blank, or an item was shipped to the wrong person.

However, not all process failures are due to mistakes or errors. When we first mentioned the concepts of special and common cause variation, we learned that we need to separate these defects from those that are a result of typical variation in the process. If a problem results from common cause, there is no root cause! It is the stack up of variation within the process, that allowed us to exceed customer expectations. Too often, teams are looking for root causes, instead of the largest sources of the variation. This is the heart of Six Sigma thinking. If we identify that it was an error or mistake (special cause), then we can move forward in our root cause analysis.

A systematic, structured approach

The important thing is that you follow the issue step by step until you’ve traced it to its source,  which would be a step you can no longer continue from.  We often use the 5 Why’s approach to make sure we trace it down deep enough. There may even be multiple factors contributing to a problem, all serious enough to be classified as a root cause. If you determine that solving this process issue will eliminate or prevent the problem from happening again, you have found the root cause!

Without analyzing the root cause, you will likely spend a lot of time and resources applying solutions that either work as a temporary fix, or don’t do anything to address the problem at all. Often these temporary fixes end up costing way more money than the root cause solution. It gets even worse when you consider that those solutions often affect the operation of the company in some negative way while you’re experimenting with them. It’s definitely not a good a good idea to go about this blindly and rush your decisions.

It will likely take you a few tries to truly nail it down, as root cause analysis requires some experience, not just with your specific organization’s field of work, but with the method in general. You may also meet some resistance from within the organization, as root cause analysis almost inevitably leads to changes, often permanent ones. Depending on the complexity of the problem, you might even need to get as detailed as the analysis on the Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker spill (see video below)

Conclusion

Root cause analysis is not a new technique, but it’s still popular today due to its simplicity and flexible nature. It can be easily applied to a variety of environments, and it’s one of the most useful tools in the arsenal of a leader looking to implement continuous improvement in their organization. And if you’re able to teach a good number of your employees the same skills as well, the organization is going to benefit even more.

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The Four Steps of PDCA and How They Lead to Continuous Improvement

There are various methods for tackling the activities of an organization available to us nowadays, and leaders have no shortage of tools to help them get the job done. Among the various techniques available, the trend is generally leaning towards solutions that can solve problems in a timely and efficient manner, minimizing the number of steps required to reach an acceptable state.

The PDCA method is based on four steps which make up the acronym of its name. The steps are specifically plan, do, check, and act. Some variations of the method add an extra fifth step preceding all others observe but the traditional version is based on just the four main steps. Whether you’re going to implement the modified five-step version or go for the original is up to you, but understanding the meaning of each step is critical in implementing PDCA correctly.

• Plan the core of the PDCA method is the ability to plan your actions correctly. You need to have a clearly defined set of targets that you’re trying to achieve, and you also have to identify the corresponding process behind achieving each of those targets. This is also the stage where you define what you expect to achieve once you’re done implementing the PDCA method. Every detail about the final status of the organization should be outlined here in as much detail as possible. You will also be clearly defining your problem, gathering data, and analyzing the root causes of your problem (or your largest sources of variation)

  If you look at this graphic, you can see how much time you SHOULD be spending on the Plan phase (Note: it’s more than 50% of the total time!)

  

• Do as the name implies, this is where you put the plan from step 1 into action, and fully implement all of its elements. It’s important to follow the original plan all the way, even if it turns out that there is some room for improvement. Find ways to quickly implement your solutions, so you can find out right away whether it works or not.
• Check this is the step where you’ll actually put the data you collected in earlier steps to use. Using all the data collected in the analysis, and combining it with additional data from the plans you developed in step 1, you should be able to see emerging patterns of change or improvement. Analyzing the results of implementing the PDCA method is as critical as the correct implementation of the first two steps, as otherwise you’re not going to know if there was actually any benefit to what you did at all. Sometimes, this step is called Study, or PDSA. Either way, we need to decide what happened, and decide what we need to do next.
• Act finally, if your results show that there is a clear improvement in the operations of the organization from the implementation of PDCA, then you have to continue doing the same thing in the future. Take what you’ve learned from your experiments with PDCA, and implement it into the standard operational routine of the organization. This should now be the norm for how things are done, unless of course the company runs into another problem in the future. In that case, you can easily run another iteration of the PDCA method and improve the situation again.

As you can see, the PDCA method is highly flexible and can lead to continuous improvement without much hassle. As long as you keep evaluating the results of your company’s work in an objective manner and keep the past data in mind, you should be on the right track.

Conclusion

It’s a simple method, but it’s proven to be highly effective for multiple reasons. There’s a reason why PDCA is still being applied in many organizations around the world in one form or another, and even though the core method has been modified significantly over time, the basic idea stays the same, and the four steps can still be easily identified in any modified version of the same system. With time, you’ll likely learn to identify the system in other environments as well, and you’d be surprised how often it’s employed in the world around us with great degrees of success.

Check out these other articles about PDCA:

PDCA Cycle and A3 Problem Solving

PDCA Cycle or PDSA Cycle Which is Right?

The Effectiveness of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle

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