Key Quality/Process Improvement Tools
Core Quality/Process Improvement Tools: When can I use them?
There are a number of quality/process improvement tools available that can help effectively and efficiently conduct a quality improvement project using Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology. Many of these tools can be used in multiple stages of a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle and can help answer various questions that arise when conducting a project. The three tables below help give direction about which QI/PI tool to use at which stage of a quality improvement project.
PDSA cycles
Change on a large scale can be daunting but that should not deter you. Before implementing a full proposal for change, a Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle can be used to test out an idea on a small scale. New ideas should be introduced only after sufficient testing on a smaller scale has proven to have positive effect. PDSA cycles allow ideas to be introduced in a safe, controlled way which will have less resistance, be less disruptive and use fewer resources. By building on the learning from each PDSA cycle, new processes can be introduced with a greater change of success.
