2.17 - The Management Cycle
Background and Overview
Satisfying human curiosity about the world, and seeking to understand how it works, has occupied the human mind since time began. Throughout history men have sought to add to or structure the knowledge gained so that
they can benefit from that knowledge. Some do it for altruistic reasons others
for profit.
The knowledge is used to create and make artefacts and systems that are but pale imitations or adaptations of the ones found in the natural world. As such, man-made systems require constant improvement to lessen their impact on the natural world or on human society as a whole.
Therefore, obtaining knowledge for problem solving and managing change is a way of life in all fields of human endeavour. In pure scientific research the process is called ‘the scientific method’ and consists of the following steps.
- Raise a question about why or how something works or operates.
- Postulate a hypothesis for the principles, laws or rules that govern the process
- Predict certain outcomes based upon the hypothesis
- Test for those outcomes.
- Analyse the results of the tests to determine if the hypothesis is correct.
In the industrial field we endeavour to enhance our systems by similar methods to improve quality, lessen impact on the natural world, and reduce costs or to provide something of benefit to mankind as a whole.
In the early years of the 20th century Shewhart and Deming adapted the scientific method to improve the quality of manufactured products. This adaptation of the scientific method was named after them and called either the Shewhart or Deming cycle. It is the same as the scientific method except that the cycle steps have different names or different emphasis is placed on certain steps to highlight their importance in the context they are being used.
The Shewhart cycle consists of the steps – Plan, Do, Study, Act.
The Deming cycle is similar – Plan, Do, Check, Act.
Other variations on the cycle also come from the quality or ‘lean manufacturing’ world. Design for Six Sigma encompasses a number of trademarked or proprietary methods for managing the process improvement activities.
They are all designed to elicit information about something with a view to exploiting the knowledge gained to improve things for a particular purpose. This guide describes a generic process that can be adapted for various situations.