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
