PDCA improvement tool: plan, test, check, standardise

How to use this tool

Work through each stage in order. Your entries save automatically in this browser — you can leave and come back. When a stage is complete, use the yellow gate to check you're ready to move on.

Use Print / save as PDF for a copy of your completed form, or Download blank template for a clean version to print and fill in by hand.

Johnstone Business Intelligence

PDCA improvement tool

johnstonebi.com/resources/tools/pdca-improvement-tool

Trial control

Trial details — fill this in before starting

Trial name

Trial owner

Work area / process

Start date

End date

Linked document ref (optional)

Plan — define what you're testing

1.1

What problem are you solving?

Describe the problem in specific terms

Good example: "Maintenance work orders for the crusher circuit are taking an average of 12 days from request to completion, against a target of 5 days."

1.2

Where are you now? (Baseline data)

What does the current performance look like?

1.3

Where do you want to be? (Target)

What does success look like — specifically?

1.4

What's causing the problem? (Root cause)

Use 5 Whys or a fishbone (cause and effect) diagram to find the root cause, not just the symptom.

Root cause analysis

1.5

What will you try? (Proposed change)

Describe the specific change you will test

1.6

How will you test it? (Trial design)

Small enough to learn quickly. Big enough to see if it works.

Trial area / scope

Trial duration

Who is involved and what will they do?

Success criteria — how will you know it worked?

Risk check — what could go wrong and how will you manage it?

1.7

How will you measure it?

What data will you collect, how often, and who collects it?

1.8

Stakeholder check

Who needs to know about this trial? How will you tell them?

Plan gate — check before you start

Don't start the trial until every box is ticked.

The problem is described specifically, not generallyBaseline data exists and is recorded aboveThe target is measurableThe trial is small enough to learn from quicklySuccess criteria are defined before the trial startsPeople affected by the change know about the trialYou have a way to collect data during the trial

Do — run the trial

2.1

Trial log

Record what actually happened during the trial. Be honest — a trial that goes off plan is still useful information.

Date	What was done	Who	Observations / notes

2.2

Deviations from plan

If the trial didn't go as planned, record it here. This is not a failure — it is information.

Date	What changed	Why	Impact on trial

2.3

Data collection check

Is the data being collected as planned? Any gaps?

Do gate — check before you review

Don't move to Check until every box is ticked.

The trial ran for the full planned period (or a documented reason why not)Data was collected as plannedDeviations from plan are recordedThe people doing the work were genuinely using the new process

Check — compare trial results to baseline

3.1

Results summary

What did the data show? Compare trial results to the baseline recorded in 1.2.

3.2

Did it meet the success criteria?

Select one

Notes

3.3

What did you learn?

What worked? What didn't? What surprised you? What would you change?

Check gate — check before you decide

Don't move to Act until every box is ticked.

Results are compared against baseline data, not just impressionsLearnings are documented, including what didn't workThe decision about what to do next is based on evidenceThe results have been shared with the people involved in the trial

Act — decide and lock in

4.1

Decision

Select the decision that best reflects what the evidence showed.

Select one

Decision notes

4.2

Standardise (if adopting or adapting)

Lock the change into the standard way of working. A change that isn't standardised doesn't stick.

Document / procedure updated (reference)

Who needs training / briefing?

Owner of the new standard

First check-in / audit date

4.3

Roll out (if adopting)

Where else does this change apply? What is the rollout plan?

4.4

Next cycle (if adapting or starting a new improvement)

What is the next trial? Use this tool again for the next cycle.

What will be tested next, and what changes from this cycle?

Act gate — check before you close

Don't close the cycle until every box is ticked.

The decision is recorded and communicated to stakeholdersIf adopting: the change is documented and ownedIf adopting: the people affected have been trained or briefedIf adapting: a new trial is planned using this toolLearnings are recorded where the team can find them

Cycle summary

Decision summary — complete at the end of the cycle

Trial name

Trial owner

Start date

End date

Problem (one sentence)

Change tested (one sentence)

Result

Decision

Next cycle (if applicable)

Key learning for the team

Evidence

Evidence register — reference any supporting documents

Ref	Document / data source	Location	Date

Johnstone Business Intelligence quality gate

Johnstone Business Intelligence quality check — a good PDCA cycle has all of these

The problem is specific and measurableBaseline data exists before the trial startsSuccess criteria are defined before the trial startsThe trial is small enough to learn from quicklyDeviations from plan are recorded, not hiddenThe decision is based on evidence, not opinionIf adopted: the change is documented and ownedThe learnings are shared with the team

If you can't tick all eight, that's your next improvement action.