During which phase of the PDCA cycle are action items and decisions typically summarized?

The PDCA cycle, which stands for Plan, Do, Check, and Act, is a process for continuous improvement that helps organizations enhance their operations and quality. In this cycle, the phase where action items and decisions are typically summarized is during the Check phase.

During the Check phase, the results of the actions taken in the Do phase are evaluated against the objectives set in the Plan phase. This involves analyzing data and examining outcomes to determine if the actions were effective in meeting the goals. Summarizing action items and decisions at this stage is essential for understanding the impact of the implemented changes and for recording lessons learned, which will inform adjustments moving forward.

The subsequent Act phase then addresses these insights by making necessary adjustments to processes, standardizing successful strategies, or making further improvements based on what was learned during Check. Thus, summarizing in the Check phase provides the foundation for meaningful decision-making in the Act phase.