The Orbits of PDCA

We just passed through the end of a calendar month.  That brought several reviews of metrics with colleagues.

Which reminded me...it is easy to remember the short term Plan-Do-Check-Act.  The kind that happens in a day or two.  We try something, quickly, then see if it works.

Yet PDCA happens in concentric circles, widened by longer time intervals.  Did our bigger plans work last month?  Last quarter?  Last year?  Over the past five years?

The longer time frames require  us to write something down, then pull it out to review.  It's a stronger discipline.

And more valuable.

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