What does a "PDSA cycle" stand for?

The PDSA cycle stands for "Plan-Do-Study-Act" and is a fundamental framework in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) used to test changes and improve processes. This cycle encourages a systematic approach to problem-solving and is especially effective for implementing improvements in various organizational contexts.

In the first step, "Plan," a team identifies a goal or a change that needs to be tested and outlines the specifics of the change being introduced. The "Do" step involves implementing the planned change on a small scale, allowing for a controlled evaluation of its effects and operational feasibility. Following this, in the "Study" phase, the results of the change are analyzed to assess its impact against the expectations set during the planning phase. Finally, the "Act" phase is where decisions are made to adopt the change, abandon it, or make further adjustments based on the insights gained from the study phase.

This iterative nature of the PDSA cycle allows organizations to continuously refine and enhance processes through systematic experimentation and learning, making it a powerful tool in CQI efforts. The approach emphasizes rapid testing and feedback, which contributes to faster and more effective improvements.