What are the four phases of the Deming Cycle:

The four phases of the Deming Cycle are Plan, Do, Check, and Act. The Deming Cycle, also known as

the PDCA cycle, is a four-step model for continuous improvement of processes, products, or services.

The cycle was developed by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of quality management, and is based

on the scientific method of problem-solving. The four phases of the Deming Cycle are1:

Plan: Identify the problem or opportunity, analyze the root causes, and establish the objectives and

measures for improvement.

Do: Implement the planned solution, test the results, and collect data for evaluation.

Check: Compare the actual results with the expected results, identify the gaps and deviations, and

analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of the solution.

Act: Take corrective or preventive actions to close the gaps and prevent recurrence, standardize the

solution, and communicate and document the lessons learned. The Deming Cycle is a dynamic and

iterative process that can be applied to any type of process, product, or service. The cycle helps to

ensure that the improvement is based on facts and data, and that the improvement is monitored and

evaluated for further improvement. The Deming Cycle is also aligned with the structure and content

of ISO 22301, the international standard for business continuity management systems (BCMS). ISO

22301 follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act approach to establish, implement, maintain, and improve a

BCMS that enables an organization to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptive

incidents2. Reference:

PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) Cycle in ISO 9001 Requirements - Advisera

ISO 22301:2019 - NQA, page 9