### What is PDCA? The PDCA cycle consists of the following steps: - Plan: Establish objectives and processes required to deliver the desired results. - Do: Implement the plan and execute the processes - Check: Monitor and evaluate the implemented processes by testing the results against the objectives and specifications. Identify deviations and non-conformities. Do you have evidence of delivering the intended results? - Act: Take action to improve the processes as necessary, based on the results of the monitoring, evaluation, and analysis. There is a clear absence of this in the formal standard, but it is very much relevant. ### As relating to ISO: It's quite possible to map the PDCA process to ISO - as with most of these acronym based processes, it's a general exercise in making sure you walk before you run and that things progress in a logical and standard order. If we were to map the PDCA to ISO, then we would probably do so like this: | PDCA | ISO Harmonised Approach | | ----------------- | ----------------------- | | Planning | Clause 4, 5, 6, and 7 | | Do | Clause 8 | | Check | Clause 9 | | Act (and improve) | Clause 10 |