How do you test changes in a Lean Six Sigma project?

1 What is the PDSA cycle?

The PDSA cycle is a four-stage process that guides you through planning, implementing, evaluating, and adjusting changes in a Lean Six Sigma project. The cycle can be repeated as many times as needed until you reach the desired outcome or find a better solution. The PDSA cycle helps you to test changes on a small scale before scaling them up, to collect data and feedback to measure the impact and performance of the changes, and to adapt and refine the changes based on the findings and learning.

2 How to plan a change?

At the start of the PDSA cycle, you need to plan a change for your Lean Six Sigma project. This requires defining the aim of the change - what is the specific objective or improvement that you want to achieve? Additionally, you should make a prediction about the expected result or benefit of the change, and how it will be measured. Furthermore, you should devise a plan with the steps, resources, and timeline required to implement the change. Lastly, consider the data sources, methods, and tools that you will use to collect and analyze data before and after the change.

3 How to do a change?

The second stage of the PDSA cycle is to execute a planned change in your Lean Six Sigma project. To do this, you must implement the change, document the details and observations of the process, and collect the data using the appropriate methods and tools. The change should be carried out in a controlled and safe manner, and all aspects of it should be recorded, such as what was done, when, where, how, by whom, and why. This data will then be used to assess the success of the change.

4 How to study a change?

The third stage of the PDSA cycle is to study a change that you have done in your Lean Six Sigma project. To do this, you must analyze the data to compare the before and after situation, as well as evaluate whether the change has met the aim and prediction. Then, interpret the results to draw conclusions and insights about the impact and performance of the change. Finally, report the findings by summarizing and communicating them, using charts, graphs, tables, or other visual aids.

5 How to act on a change?

In the fourth and final stage of the PDSA cycle, you must act on the change you studied in your Lean Six Sigma project. Depending on the outcome of the change, you can decide to adopt it as a standard practice and scale it up, adapt it by making modifications or adjustments based on the feedback and learning, or abandon it and look for a different solution or approach. Adopting, adapting, or abandoning the change will help you achieve your desired outcome or improvement.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?