When you have a clear strategy of what will help you achieve your aim, it is time to start testing those change ideas. It is through testing that we can gain new learning and knowledge that can lead to developing successful improvement.
The key here is to use the PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycle, the engine for change in the Model for Improvement. This gives you the opportunity to “build belief” through multiple PDSA cycles, that the ideas you test really do work. The four stages of the PDSA cycle are outlined below. This process also helps you learn more about what doesn’t work, why it may not have worked, and what adaptions you can make.
To help us learn whether the changes being made have resulted in an improvement, we can use a run or control chart to display data over time. These are powerful tools that can help us understand variation in our data.
What do you predict will happen if you make this change?
Describe what the change will be, consider what it is, who will do it, how it will be done, where, when and how much of an improvement we predict will happen
What actually happened?
Do the change and then document what happened in real-time.
What did you learn?
Did the change go to plan, was your prediction correct? What effect has the change had according to what you are measuring?
What next?
Consider if you will Adopt, Abandon, or Adapt (modify) the change. If you adapt, what considerations do you need to take for your next test? Will you test in different conditions or situations to see how your ideas work in related contexts (e.g. different locations, different times of day, and with different staff)?
Explore the tools below to learn more about using the PDSA cycle, run charts and control charts.
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