Plan > Do > Study > Act (PDSA) is a four-stage problem-solving tool designed to develop and monitor any small improvement ideas you may have. It is a four-stage problem solving model used for improving a process or carrying out change.

It allows you to record your project process in a clear and visual way. 

How it works: 

Plan

Set objectives on what you want to achieve and what your expectations are. Develop a plan to test the outcomes against your expectations.

Do

Execute the plan on a small scale – remember to set SMART Actions for all involved. Collect data and observe what the outcomes were.

Study

Analyse the data – how to the outcomes compare against your expectations. Identify trends, patterns, and insights from the outcomes.

Act

Decide on changes based on data analysis from the Study phase – was the plan successful, abandoned or does it need further work? Ask questions such as ‘How can this be replicated?’ or ‘How can this be sustained?’. 

If you would like to know more information about how to use PDSA please contact a member of the EXCEED Operational Excellence Team.

Remember, it’s all about using the right tool for the right job!

The EXCEED team has shared a digital PDSA template for you to use to help your own problem-solving. It can be found on the UK News website page here