How will we get there? CQI-PDCA CYCLE • Plan • Do • Check • Act This process can be conducted using the Plan, Do, Check and Act (PDCA) cycle method. PDCA is a simplification of the scientific method popularized by Deming (1986). The phases included in the PDCA cycle are: • P- Plan the action phases. Study a particular process to determine what changes might be desirable. Organize a team and collect data to better define the problem. Decide how you will use your observations and data regarding the need for that improvement. Develop a plan for improvement. • D- Carry out the action steps you have defined. Implement the change process you described in your plan. • C- Check the results. Monitor and evaluate change processes and outcomes. What were the effects? What did you learn? Did the results match the desired elements you had established? • A- Act on the result. Were you able to make the desired change? Were the results different from what you expected? Review the results of the PDCA cycle and modify the improvement process based on the insights gained. Return to the Plan phase and repeat the cycle until the objectives, whether original or modified, are achieved (Deming,