Strategy Execution Playbook

Introduction

Strategy Execution Playbook

Box0.6 Project Reporting: Plan–Do–Check–Act

About

Merits

A PDCA (plan–do–check–act or plan–do–check–adjust) [100] is an iterative four-step management method that helps manage performance, review progress and accelerate learning from successes and failures. Planning and doing is indeed not enough to drive continuous improvement; you also need to check and adjust.

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Ensures clarity and accountability.

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Helps teams progress.

When to Apply

Throughout the life of the project during the following phases: • P lan. Key activities to meet objectives, critical milestones, timelines, people to involve (the level of planning and contingency consideration increase with the project’s level of difficulty and complexity). Set SMART objective(s) – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound. Think through and list all key activities you need to perform to meet objective(s), identifying interdependencies along the way. Plan regular meetings/communication activities, and decide on critical milestones, success measurement and tracking process. • D o. Carry out plan/activities for what the team is accountable for. Identify and select options to move forward, follow up on agreed next steps. • C heck. Take the time weekly to review the performance against milestones and timescales, capturing what went well and what needs to be improved, what are the results versus the targets. • A djust. This involves modifying your plan to incorporate learning and celebrate successes.

PDCA

PDCA is a four-step problem-solving method for continuous process improvement

A

Act/Adjust

Plan

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Take action to improve further

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Identify the root cause of the problem Set goals and objectives

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Define corrective actions

C

P

Check

Do

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Monitor and measure Verify that the problem is resolved

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Implement the improvement process Test potential solutions

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D

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Figure 0.7: Plan–Do–Check–Act

Source: Adapted fromWalter A: Shewhart and William E. Deming

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