Deming Wheel

"PDCA is the essence of managerial work: making sure the job gets done today and developing better ways to do it tomorrow."

The Deming Wheel, also known as the PDCA Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act, later PDSA where Study replaced Check: Plan-Do-Study-Act), is a core framework for continuous improvement, popularized by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer in quality management, based on the work of Walter Shewhart (Shewhart Cycle), which was based on the scientific method. It provides a structured, iterative approach to problem-solving and process enhancement, emphasizing the importance of planning, implementing actions, assessing outcomes, and making adjustments to improve performance.

The PDCA Cycle is widely used across industries to foster innovation, adaptability, and efficiency. Its cyclical nature ensures that teams constantly learn from experience, make data-driven decisions, and refine their processes for better results over time.

Agile frameworks prioritize responsiveness to change, stakeholder collaboration, and delivering value in small increments - all principles that align closely with the iterative structure of the Deming Wheel.

How Scrum involves the Deming Wheel

Scrum inherently incorporates the principles of the Deming Wheel by structuring its framework around iterative cycles that mirror the Plan-Do-Check-Act stages. Each Sprint in Scrum can be seen as a PDCA cycle, enabling teams to plan work, execute it, inspect the results, and adapt based on feedback.

1. Plan - Sprint Planning
   • The Product Owner, Development Team, and Scrum Master collaborate to plan the upcoming Sprint.
   • The team identifies the Sprint Goal, selects items from the Product Backlog, and defines a Sprint Backlog.
   • Tasks are estimated, prioritized, and clarified to ensure alignment with customer value and team capacity.
   The Plan phase focuses on answering key questions:
   • What value are we delivering this Sprint?
   • What tasks or stories need to be completed to achieve that value?
   • How will we measure success?
2. Do - Sprint Execution
   • The team works on implementing the selected tasks in the Sprint Backlog.
   • Daily Scrum meetings (stand-ups) serve as checkpoints for progress, helping the team adjust priorities or remove blockers as necessary.
   • Collaboration, development, testing, and integration happen iteratively throughout the Sprint.
   The Do phase is about execution and experimentation:
   • The team puts the plan into action while ensuring incremental delivery of potentially shippable products.
3. Check - Sprint Review & Sprint Retrospective
   • Sprint Review: The team shows the increment to stakeholders and gathers feedback to assess whether the product meets expectations.
   • Sprint Retrospective: The team reflects on the Sprint's process, identifying what went well, what didn't, and areas for improvement.
   The focus of the Check phase is:
   • Measuring progress against the plan.
   • Validating outcomes with stakeholders.
   • Reflecting on team dynamics, tools, and techniques.
4. Act - Backlog Refinement & Continous Improvement
   • Improvements identified during the Sprint Retrospective are incorporated into future Sprints.
   • Teams adjust processes, refine definitions of done, improve tools, or modify workflows to enhance efficiency and quality.
   • The updated Product Backlog reflects changes based on the Sprint Review feedback, driving the next Plan phase.
   The Act phase ensures:
   • Lessons learned are applied.
   • Feedback loops contribute to a culture of adaptability and growth.

Scenario

A Plan to improve code review practices (from Retrospective insights) could result in a Do phase where the team experiments with peer reviews during a sprint. The Check phase would evaluate if this reduced bugs, while the Act phase integrates peer review into the team's Definition of Done.

Summary

By using the Deming Wheel in Scrum, teams ensure continuous learning, adaptability, and a focus on delivering value with each iteration.