Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) Apply PDCA cycle for continuous improvement through iterative problem solving and process optimization. Description Four phase iterative cycle: Plan (identify and analyze), Do (implement changes), Check (measure results), Act (standardize or adjust). Enables systematic experimentation and improvement. Usage /plan do check act [improvement goal] Variables GOAL: Improvement target or problem to address (default: prompt for input) CYCLE NUMBER: Which PDCA iteration (default: 1) Steps Phase 1: PLAN 1. Define the problem or improvement goal 2. Analyze current state (baseline metrics) 3. Identify root causes (use /why or /cause and effect ) 4. Develop hypothesis: "If we change X, Y will improve" 5. Design experiment: what to change, how to measure success 6. Set success criteria (measurable targets) Phase 2: DO 1. Implement the planned change (small scale first) 2. Document what was actually done 3. Record any deviations from plan 4. Collect data throughout implementation 5. Note unexpected observations Phase 3: CHECK 1. Measure results against success criteria 2. Compare to baseline (before vs. after) 3. Analyze data: did hypothesis hold? 4. Identify what worked and what didn't 5. Document learnings and insights Phase 4: ACT 1. If successful : Standardize the change Update documentation Train team Create checklist/automation Monitor for regression 2. If unsuccessful : Learn and adjust Understand why it failed Refine hypothesis Start new PDCA cycle with adjusted plan 3. If partially successful : Standardize what worked Plan next cycle for remaining issues Examples Example 1: Reducing Build Time Example 2: Reducing Production Bugs Example 3: Improving Code Review Speed Notes Start with small, measurable changes (not big overhauls) PDCA is iterative—multiple cycles normal Failed experiments are learning opportunities Document everything: easier to see patterns across cycles Success criteria must be measurable (not subjective) Phase 4 "Act" determines next cycle or completion If stuck after 3 cycles, revisit root cause analysis PDCA works for technical and process improvements Use /analyse problem (A3) for comprehensive documentation

plan-do-check-act