We’re all familiar with the Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle (PDCA). It’s the embodiment of the Scientific Method in a simple and memorable form. The PDCA cycle is a democratized process that anyone can use to analyze a problem and test possible solutions without extensive training or certifications. Let’s dive into the PDCA a little deeper to expose some of its powerful attributes that you might have missed as a casual user.
First and fundamental, PDCA is a perpetual cycle. Maybe this goes without saying, but I’ve encountered numerous so-called practitioners that think of PDCA as a “once and done” kind of tool. Not so. PDCA is intended to be performed over and over for continuous refinement. While the DMAIC process is a phased approach with a defined beginning and end, PDCA can and should be repeated over and over again within the phases in the form of experimentation to test an ever-evolving hypothesis and deepen our understanding.
This continual testing of our reality is well illustrated in the Kata, where experiments are executed over and over in rapid succession to gain insights into the unknown. More on this later…
Secondly, the very first planning step requires some intentional reconnaissance. That’s right. The very first PDCA is really a CA-PDCA. Why, you may ask? Reasonable plans require some basic understanding. You will not be able to make a very informed initial plan without first checking to understand the current condition for yourself. Pre-Check the current condition, then Pre-Act by documenting the condition before jumping into an experimental plan. A basic understanding of the current condition will ultimately save you time and effort. This activity will also radically improve your likelihood of success when you launch your experiment.
Lastly, and most importantly, is being diligent to collect the insights that naturally come from the Check step. It’s very tempting to rush through the Check step by seeing if the solution is working, then just moving on. Check is supposed to our opportunity to pause and examine the results of the experiment to determine WHY it works (or not) instead of just IF it works. If you’ve rushed through Check as I have, you’ve assuredly missed out on the rich insights that always come from this critical step. Capturing insights is what tends to separate the learning organizations from the rest the rest of the pack. Thoughtful, hansei reflection during Check will make an enormous difference to your organization over the long-term and your ability to capture and disseminate insights can indeed serve as a competitive advantage. These valuable insights will become simply missed opportunities for growth without reflection. Remember, we only genuinely learn through failure; for success only validates what we already know. Recognize that reflection is a muscle that isn’t developed overnight. You might want to seek out a good sensei to help you develop this critical skill. You cannot develop into a real learning organization without discipline around the skill of reflection.
Volumes have been dedicated to the PDCA cycle; for good reason. Tremendous insights can be leveraged through the power of Lean Thinking as applied through the Scientific Method. Simple, yet powerful, PDCA is a democratized process that can be applied anywhere. And, while nearly a century old, PDCA still stands as a useful and noble instrument, but one that provides maximum value only when wielded properly.
Lean in, and Lean on.