<P> If the check phase shows that the plan phase which was implemented in do phase is an improvement to the prior standard (baseline), then that becomes the new standard (baseline) for how the organization should act going forward (new standards are thus said to be enACTed). Instead, if the check phase shows that the plan phase which was implemented in do phase is not an improvement, then the existing standard (baseline) will remain in place . In either case, if the check phase showed something different than expected (whether better or worse), then there is some more learning to be done...and that will suggest potential future PDCA cycles . Note that some who teach PDCA assert that the act phase involves making adjustments or corrective actions, but generally it would be counter to PDCA thinking to propose and decide upon alternative changes without using a proper plan phase, or to make them the new standard (baseline) without going through do and check steps . </P> <P> The adjust phase is the alternative version of the act phase . Once PDCA has been run multiple times, the process generally has enough information for it to be considered a new standard . This is usually completed in the act phase . The adjust phase allows the process to continue to be monitored after the changes have been implemented and fix them accordingly . Doing this lets the PDCA cycle truly be for continuous improvement instead of changing a process and letting it become inefficient again . </P> <P> PDCA was made popular by W. Edwards Deming, who is considered by many to be the father of modern quality control; however, he always referred to it as the "Shewhart cycle". Later in Deming's career, he modified PDCA to "Plan, Do, Study, Act" (PDSA) because he felt that "check" emphasized inspection over analysis . The PDSA cycle was used to create the model of know - how transfer process, and other models . </P> <P> The concept of PDCA is based on the scientific method, as developed from the work of Francis Bacon (Novum Organum, 1620). The scientific method can be written as "hypothesis--experiment--evaluation" or as "plan--do--check". Walter A. Shewhart described manufacture under "control"--under statistical control--as a three - step process of specification, production, and inspection . He also specifically related this to the scientific method of hypothesis, experiment, and evaluation . Shewhart says that the statistician "must help to change the demand (for goods) by showing (...) how to close up the tolerance range and to improve the quality of goods ." Clearly, Shewhart intended the analyst to take action based on the conclusions of the evaluation . According to Deming, during his lectures in Japan in the early 1950s, the Japanese participants shortened the steps to the now traditional plan, do, check, act . Deming preferred plan, do, study, act because "study" has connotations in English closer to Shewhart's intent than "check". </P>

Explain the application of the plan→do→check→act cycle to project management processes