Which is the correct order that ensures quality is achieved in a business process?

The correct order represents the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, also known as the Deming Cycle. This is a fundamental, iterative four-stage model for continuous improvement in business processes and quality management.

1. Plan: Identify an opportunity and plan for a change. Establish objectives and processes required to deliver results in accordance with the expected output.

2. Do: Implement the plan on a small scale. Execute the process and collect data for analysis.

3. Check: Monitor and evaluate the results against the objectives set in the 'Plan' phase.

4. Act: Implement the changes on a broader scale if the experiment was successful. If not, begin the cycle again with a new plan.

This sequence ensures a structured and data-driven approach to achieving and improving quality.

A. Plan, Check, Do, Act: This order is incorrect because checking must occur after the 'Do' phase to evaluate the results of the implemented plan.

B. Check, Act, Plan, Do: This sequence is illogical as it begins with 'Check' without having a plan or an action to evaluate first.

C. Check, Do, Act, Plan: This order is incorrect. The cycle must start with 'Plan' to define goals and the process for change.

1. International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (2015). ISO 9001:2015 Quality management systems — Requirements. Section 0.3.2, "Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle". This section explicitly describes how the standard is based on the PDCA methodology, detailing that planning (Clause 6), support and operation (Clauses 7 and 8), performance evaluation (Clause 9), and improvement (Clause 10) follow this sequence.

2. Sokovic, M., Pavletic, D., & Pipan, K. K. (2010). Quality Improvement Methodologies–PDCA Cycle, RADAR Matrix, DMAIC and DFSS. Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, 43(1), 476-483. Figure 2 on page 477 visually and textually confirms the sequence as Plan -> Do -> Check -> Act, describing it as a "methodology for continuous improvement."

3. Deming, W. E. (1986). Out of the Crisis. MIT Press. In Chapter 4, Deming details the "Shewhart Cycle for Learning and Improvement," which he later popularized as the PDCA cycle. He emphasizes the sequential nature: starting with a plan, trying it out, observing the results, and then acting on the findings.