THE IMPROVEMENT CYCLE (PDCA CYCLE)

One of the basic need of TQM is continuous improvement. In today’s

environment if you did not improve your competitor will and in addition it will
take away your market share. This has been the case with European Electrical
and Electronic companies and American Automobile manufacturers who have
seen Japanese competitors eating into their market share. The planning process
helps to identify areas for improvement. It along with process management and
employee suggestions helps to identify areas for improvement to continuously
improve our processes, products and services. An ideal tool is the well known
PDCA cycle. This is also called the Deming Cycle as it was developed and
promoted by the American Quality Guru Edward Deming. The essential elements
of PDCA cycle are :-

1. Select the theme or project

6. Take appropriate 2. Grasp the present status
action
3. Analyse the cause and
7. Conclesion and A P determine corrective action
Future plans

C D
5. Check the effects
4. Implement corrective action

I. PLAN :

A. Select the Theme or Project

* Project background and reasons for selection

* Set a target
* Prepare a schedule of activities

B. Grasp the Current Status

C. Analyse the Cause and Determine the Corrective Action

* Prepare cause and effect diagram

* Prepare a hypothesis and verify most likely cause
* Document the corrective action

II. DO :

A. Implement the Corrective Action

 * Prepare instructions and flow charts for complicated procedures
* Adequate training must be provided
* Follow the plan exactly
* Record any division from plan and collect the data on results

III. CHECK :

A. Check the Effect of Corrective Action

* Compare over all result

* Analyse failure to achieve results (in case of failure)
* Results achieved
IV. ACT :

A. Check Appropriate Action:

* Documentation, Standardisation & Control

* Training

B. Decide On Future Plans

The well known seven Quality Control tools may be used in this process.

PLAN STAGE:
SELECT THE THEME OR PROJECT:

This step is carried out through the following sub-steps:

a) PROJECT BACKGROUND AND REASONS FOR SELECTION: The

theme of the project may be selected based on department objectives,
customer complaints, IER or Safety Audit findings, themes identified during
management review or may be the continuation of a previous project.

b) SET A TARGET: In this stage a measurable, qualitative or quantitative

target along with the time frame for implementation shall be set. These
targets shall be reasonable, realistic and verification data shall be easily
obtainable.

c) PREPARE A SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES: In this step, the tentative

schedule of activities along with the time frame and the persons responsible
for each activity shall be made. The outcome of this step shall be a tentative
GANTT Chart.
GRASP THE CURRENT STATUS:
The objective of this step is to understand a problem thoroughly with additional data if
required. This step may involve carrying out pilot studies, collecting data which is
required but not available or carrying out analyses which have not been carried out
earlier. Appropriate QC tools such as Process Flow Charts, Pareto Charts, Control Charts,
Process capability indices etc., may be used.

ANALYSE THE CAUSE AND DETERMINE THE CORRECTIVE AND/ OR

PREVENTIVE ACTION:

The objective of this step is to find out the root cause of the problem or analyse trends
and determine the appropriate corrective and / or prevention action. This step has the
following sub-steps:

a) PREPARE CAUSE AND EFFECT DIAGRAM: Identify the causes by

brainstorming, list them and prepare a cause and effect diagram showing the
relationship of the causes with the effect.

b) PREPARE A HYPOTHESIS AND VERIFY MOST LIKELY CAUSE:

Prepare a hypothesis of the most likely causes and verify them through
experiments , collection of data, from available data, etc. Use appropriate
tools such as Check Sheets, Pareto analysis, graphs, scatter diagram, etc.

c) DOCUMENT THE CORRECTIVE ACTION: Based on the analysis

carried out in the previous step determine the appropriate corrective and
preventive action and document it so that it can be understood by all team
members.

DO STAGE:

IMPLEMENT THE CORRECTIVE AND / OR PREVENTIVE ACTION:

In this step the plan developed in the previous step is implemented. As appropriate,
instruction and flow charts shall be prepared for difficult procedures, adequate training
shall be given to persons involved in implementation, data as appropriate shall be
collected and records maintained. QC tools such as Checklists, Checksheets, control
charts etc shall be used as appropriate in this step. The implementation of the plan shall
be monitored by the persons responsible (respective HODs, Project team, GM or PM)
 CHECK STAGE:
CHECK THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CORRECTIVE AND / OR
PREVENTIVE ACTION:

The objective of this step is to check the effectiveness of an action taken by comparing
the results achieved with the previous results. The results obtained during the DO
STAGE are compared with the results prior to implementation of the corrective and/or
preventive action. Appropriate tools such as Bar graphs, paired pareto diagrams, Control
Charts, Histograms, process capability indices etc., may be used. Two possible results
may be obtained by such comparison.

i) Failure to obtain planned results : The causes of failure are reviewed. If

the failure is due to improper implementation, go back to the Do Stage,
otherwise go back to the Plan Stage.

ii) Planned results have been achieved : If the overall results achieved are
equal to or better than the target set in the Plan Stage, we may review to see
that there are no adverse side effects due to the improvement such as increase
in other categories of failure.

ACT STAGE

TAKE APPROPRIATE FOLLOW UP ACTION

The objective of this step is to ensure that the improved level of performance is
maintained. In this step the revised operating procedure or standards are documented and
incorporated into the regular departmental documentation. As appropriate these may also
be conveyed to all departments concerned. Apart from this, necessary training in the new
methods shall be imparted to employees concerned.

B. GIRISH, Dy. Director

National Productivity Council, Chennai