The PDCA Cycle, or Deming Cycle, has been used as a management tool for a long time, and its usefulness was first verified in the area of quality management.

The aim of the tool is to promote continuous improvement through four stages that are repeated cyclically, giving staff the opportunity to look for innovations that have a positive impact on their work.

Such is the success of the PDCA Cycle (plan, do, check, act) that it has gone beyond the quality sector and conquered many other areas, including project management. Find out how to use this tool!

Similarities between PDCA and project management

If we summarize project management, we arrive at a structure very similar to the PDCA cycle: plan, execute, monitor results and close the project. The difference with PDCA is that the work doesn't stop at closure, after all, processes never end, they are cyclical.

The first three stages are the same and require the same care. What makes the difference in the amount of work involved in each of them is the complexity of the project or process we are dealing with.

Going deeper into project managementWe also realized that the PDCA can be applied to each of the areas worked on: scopeThis can be done in terms of time, costs, acquisitions, etc. It may even be that an improvement is not implemented in the same project, but the lesson learned can be taken to other initiatives.

Using PDCA in project management

One of the tasks we have when we start planning a project is to determine how it will be carried out. This is a process. Each area to be worked on throughout the project also needs structured processes and KPIs so that we can monitor the team's progress towards results.

In light of this, we can say that PDCA can be used both for overall project improvement, evaluating project planning, execution and monitoring, and in sub-areas that are essential to the success of the initiative, such as cost management, for example.

First, you plan the project costsIn this phase, you define the budget and identify the performance indicators that will allow you to monitor what has been planned vs. what has been achieved. This is the Plan.

Then you start to execute the budget, make purchases, pay for labor, invest in equipment. This is the From. Next comes CheckThis means analyzing the indicators to see if what was planned is being fulfilled.

Let's say the team is spending more than expected. It's time for ActIn other words, to find a way of reducing the project's costs so that it can be completed within the planned budget.

Once this is done, the cycle starts all over again, with the team replanning costs, executing the budget, monitoring the results and acting again to ensure that the objectives are met.

This example applies to any area of project management and can be applied to any type of project your company has. That's because PDCA is a simple and easy-to-learn tool.

Why use PDCA in project management?

With so many technological tools available, you may be wondering why use PDCA, something so simple? That's exactly why! Because it's simple and effective.

PDCA aids decision-makingIf you leave it to the end of the project to correct a course of action, you may not achieve your objectives. If you don't correct the course of action until the end of the project, your objectives may not be achieved.

Have you ever thought about deviating from the scope and delivering a final product that doesn't meet the client's needs? Or missing the project deadline and leaving the client with an obsolete solution?
These situations can be avoided with PDCA and a culture focused on continuous improvement. Think about it!