PDCA Cycle (Deming Cycle)

By: A Staff Writer

Updated on: Jul 19, 2024

What: Iterative improvement loop: Plan (identify the problem, propose solutions), Do (implement on a small scale), Check (collect data), Act (analyze results, adopt, or abandon the change).

Who: W. Edwards Deming, quality-focused statistician.

Why: Instills scientific thinking in entrepreneurs – making changes based on evidence, not hunches.

When: Trying to improve anything: a process, product, marketing message, etc.

How:

1. 1. Start with a clear problem statement and potential action.
   2. Run your experiment and carefully measure the results.
   3. Decide whether to broaden the change or try something else.