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316 Part IV: Quality Assurance
Plan
The primary emphasis of the check step is to verify that desired
results have been obtained. The primary emphasis of the study step
is to gain quantitative knowledge of the process and its performance
to learn how it may be further improved. This difference in
emphasis between the check and study steps explains the different
philosophical intents of each cycle. It should also be noted that in their
most common use the points of difference explained here have been
confused, and PDCA and PDSA continue to be used interchangeably,
which is misleading, incorrect, obscures their points of origin, and
obscures their original intent.
Part IV.D
Do
Once a problem has been clearly defined, the first steps in solving it are to collect
and analyze data, consider and analyze alternative solutions, and choose the best
solution. These steps, although easy to state, can be extremely difficult and timeconsuming
to execute. Jointly these steps constitute the plan phase in the PDCA
cycle. One approach to this phase is to list the goals, the barriers to reaching those
goals, and a strategy for coping with those barriers. This approach provides guidance
for the next steps.
In most situations, a team representing everyone impacted by the problem
and its solution should be formed and assigned the problem-solving task.
There is a great tendency to jump to the do phase of the cycle rather than
taking the time to adequately execute the plan phase. Before moving to the do
phase, however, careful plans should be made regarding the collection of information
during that phase.
In some situations it may be useful to apply a “quick and dirty” or “band-aid”
solution to allow time to focus on the permanent solution. Of course this approach
risks the tendency to move on to the next problem because this one is “solved.”
Once a solution to the problem has been decided on and a data collection scheme
has been determined, the next phase is to try it. If possible, this should be done on
a small scale and/or off-line. Sometimes the proposed solution can be tried in a
laboratory setting or outside the regular production process. During the do phase,
as much data as possible should be collected. In some situations, videotaping a
process permits further data collection upon replay.
Check
Act
The check phase is used to analyze the information collected during the do phase.
The data must be validated using valid mathematical and statistical techniques.
In this phase, action is taken based on the conclusions reached in the check phase.
If the data show that the proposed solution is a good solution to the problem,