What does the 'Plan-Do-Check-Act' (PDCA) cycle involve?

The 'Plan-Do-Check-Act' (PDCA) cycle involves a systematic series of steps for continuous improvement and effective management within a quality management system.

The first step, "Plan," emphasizes the importance of establishing objectives and processes necessary to deliver desired results. This involves identifying what needs to be improved and developing an action plan to achieve these improvements.

In the "Do" phase, the planned processes are implemented. This may include executing the action plan, conducting training, and rolling out new processes. This step is crucial as it provides the opportunity to test out the planned improvement measures in real-world scenarios.

The "Check" phase entails monitoring and measuring the implemented processes to determine whether they are performing as expected. This requires collecting data, analyzing the results, and comparing them against the set objectives to identify any gaps or areas for further improvement.

Finally, the "Act" phase involves taking corrective actions based on the findings from the "Check" phase. If any issues are identified, adjustments are made to the processes, and best practices are established for future cycles.

This cycle is fundamental to the ISO 9001 framework as it fosters systematic improvement by continuously evaluating performance and implementing enhancements, ensuring that organizations can effectively meet customer needs and maintain