Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA)

Abstract

The Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) concept is ubiquitous in healthcare, following pioneering work over 100 years ago from Shewhart and colleagues who originally developed the control chart, another ubiquitous mechanism for improvement. We examine the historical underpinnings to the PDSA cycle and consider its implications for contemporary implementation science. The power of the PDSA rests in its simplicity, and it has been harnessed in many applications across the world. It has proven to be a useful guide for researchers and practitioners alike.