What is PDCA and How to Use It

Every successful organization has one thing in common: the drive to keep getting better. The question is how? How do you improve systems without breaking what already works?

The PDCA cycle, a deceptively simple yet incredibly powerful framework, helps in this regard. But what is PDCA? It's a framework developed by quality control pioneer Dr. W. Edwards Deming. PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check, Act, which is the order in which you have to follow this procedure.

In this article, we explain each stage of the PDCA model and share practical ways to implement it across different industries.

What Is PDCA?

PDCA, or Plan, Do, Check, Act, is a four-step approach for improving processes, solving problems, and testing ideas in a cycle that repeats over time. At first glance, it might seem basic. However, its strength lies in its structure.

Each phase builds on the last and gives individuals and teams a clear way to take action without rushing or guessing.

The Plan phase is where you define the goal and map out what needs to happen. It includes identifying the problem, gathering relevant data, and forming a workable strategy.

Then comes Do. Here, you try out the plan. You don't need to roll it out across everything all at once. In fact, it's often better to test changes on a small scale first.

After that comes Check. Now, you look at the results and compare them to what you expected. Did the change make a difference?

Finally, Act means you either adopt the change, adjust it, or go back to the drawing board. If it works, you can apply it more widely. If it didn't, you've still learned something useful, and the cycle begins again.

Components of the PDCA Cycle

We've already covered what's included in PDCA. Let's walk through each phase using a real-world example to make it easy to understand what this process entails. Suppose you're creating an internal eLearning course to train employees on a new workplace policy.

Here's how it works.

Plan

Before you jump into content creation, take a step back. What are you trying to accomplish?

In this phase, your goal is to define the problem and outline the steps you'll take to address it. Let's say employees are unsure about data security protocols, which results in inconsistent practices. Your objective is to improve compliance.

At this stage, you will:

• Identify the key learning objectives
• Consult department heads or IT for accurate content
• Decide how the course will be delivered (video, quizzes, and so on)
• Set metrics to measure success (quiz scores, assessment results, completion rates, etc.)

Basically, you're setting a clear direction with a realistic plan. You're not solving anything yet. For example, when it comes to course delivery, you can plan to use Coursebox to share the course with learners. Then, you decide to record feedback through the same platform. Coursebox's AI assessment generator will be used to create quizzes, and the AI grader will mark them. Now, you can take this plan to the next stage.

Do

Now it's time to build and run a small test version of the course.

You might select one department as a pilot group. Record a short training video, create a basic quiz, and invite feedback. This step helps you see how your plan holds up in the real world without rolling it out to the entire organization. You're only observing at this stage and not trying to perfect anything.

Check

Once the pilot course is complete, gather data. Did employees finish it? Were the quiz results strong? Was the content clear? You might use surveys, interview a few participants, or review analytics.

Here, you separate assumptions from actual outcomes to understand what worked and why.

Act

Based on what you've learned, decide what to do next. If the pilot group understood the material and gave helpful feedback, you can move forward with a company-wide rollout. If certain parts were confusing or ineffective, you can now revise them. At this stage, small changes start leading to better results.

History of PDCA

The roots of the PDCA cycle go back to the 1930s, when physicist and statistician Walter A. Shewhart introduced a method for ongoing improvement in industrial settings. His original concept was informally called the Shewhart Cycle.

It was built around three key actions:

• Specify
• Produce
• Inspect

The idea was straightforward: define what you're aiming to achieve, build it, and then check the results against expectations. If something wasn't working, the process would loop back and start again, better informed.

Later, W. Edwards Deming, a student and admirer of Shewhart's work, expanded the idea and made it more accessible to business leaders. He worked with Japanese companies in the years following World War II.

During this time, he emphasized not just inspection, but continuous learning throughout the life of a product. His version included steps like designing with testing in mind, verifying the product during production, bringing it to market, and then refining it based on real user experiences.

By the early 1950s, Japan's Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) took Deming's ideas and shaped them into the familiar four-part loop we now know as PDCA. The framework spread quickly, particularly in manufacturing. However, its value was soon recognized in many other fields.

Over the years, many different models have surfaced. One of them is Eric Ries' "Build, Measure, Learn" cycle in the startup world. However, the core principle is the same: try something, observe what happens, and learn from it. That rhythm continues to guide problem-solving in countless settings today.

How to Use PDCA in Your Organization

If you want to introduce your team to PDCA, you won't have to overhaul existing systems. Instead, you can make this approach a part of how your team already works.

Start by not thinking of PDCA as a checklist you have to tick off. Rather, create space for people to try something small and learn from the outcome. It might sound simple, but in practice, it takes a lot of structure to get it right.

Start with a Clear Use Case

First, pick a situation where you can test PDCA in a focused way. Suppose your sales team is struggling to follow up on leads. Maybe onboarding new hires is taking too long. These are all opportunities where you can apply PDCA.

Select something that matters, but isn't your biggest issue right now. A manageable challenge with clear boundaries is a better fit for your first cycle. You want to build momentum and confidence before you move on to solving more complex problems with a PDCA approach.

Give People Room to Test

After you've picked your first use case, create time for people to plan thoughtfully. However, this doesn't mean weeks of meetings. It just means you pause to ask: what are we trying to solve?

Here, you're in the Plan stage, but you're not planning everything down to the last detail. You're simply setting direction and thinking through possible outcomes. A quick meeting or a shared document can be enough to get started.

Then, let your team test their idea in a contained setting. If they're reworking the onboarding process, maybe they can try the new format with the next two hires and track how long each step takes. The idea is to see what happens with this new approach and collect observations.

Learn From the Data

A lot of teams rush at this point. After trying something once, they want to declare it a success or scrap it altogether. However, PDCA encourages a more thoughtful review.

Ask simple questions: Did it work the way we thought it would? What surprised us?

You don't need a formal analytics report every time. Sometimes, a short debrief is enough. You just want to make sure that someone has taken the time to reflect, since that's what brings the learning to PDCA.

Even if the idea did not work, it's useful. You've narrowed the path and gathered real-world input.

Keep the Cycle Going

The biggest mistake organizations make with PDCA is treating it as a one-off fix. You improve something once, you get good results, and then you move on. But PDCA is most useful when it becomes part of your regular rhythm.

Let's say you improved the onboarding process and reduced training time by 25%. Great. But how are you making sure that improvement holds up next quarter?

Revisit the change every few months or every year. See if it's still working or if new issues have come up. Then, you can try new adjustments to your approach. The point is to keep the loop going so you're not solving the same problem again six months down the line.

Conclusion

Don't limit PDCA to a passing management buzzword. It works best when you use it as a repeatable way to solve problems and improve systems, whether it's training programs or new policies.

All you need to get started is a question and a test. From then on, you just have to be willing to learn from what happens. Organizations that apply PDCA tend to make better decisions because they use each attempt as a chance to learn and adjust. Over time, this results in fewer blind spots and a workplace where change doesn't have to be overwhelming. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How does PDCA differ from other continuous improvement frameworks?

While many frameworks focus on linear implementation, PDCA emphasizes iterative learning. It deliberately reopens the loop after each cycle, which helps reduce the risk of locking into ineffective solutions. 

What role does the ‘Check’ stage play in preventing wasted resources?

The Check stage verifies whether changes meet intended outcomes before large-scale rollout. When real results are compared against expectations, teams can avoid committing time, budget, and effort to unproven strategies. 

Can PDCA be applied to non-technical or creative projects?

PDCA works well in areas like marketing campaigns, curriculum design, or HR initiatives. The cyclical approach allows creative teams to test ideas and refine execution without committing to a full-scale launch prematurely.

How can eLearning teams adapt PDCA for course development?

In eLearning, PDCA supports rapid prototyping. Teams can Plan modules around clear objectives, Do by launching a pilot, Check through learner analytics and feedback, and Act by refining lessons. 

How does PDCA support cultural change in organizations?

PDCA embeds a mindset of curiosity and reflection. Over time, teams become accustomed to questioning assumptions, gathering evidence, and adjusting behavior. Such steady repetition normalizes change and makes improvement a part of daily operations rather than a disruptive event.

What strategies help sustain PDCA beyond the first cycle?

Sustainability comes from integrating PDCA into team rituals, like quarterly reviews or project retrospectives, and documenting each cycle’s findings. More importantly, leadership support prevents the process from fading into a one-off exercise.