The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) method is a very useful technique for improving the state of operations within an organization, both on a large scale as well as in a targeted manner aimed at specific components or processes. There are various ways to apply PDCA, and it’s quite flexible in its use as well, making it the ideal candidate for those who want to see good results in their operations over a relatively short time span.
無論是大規模的組織， 還是特定部分或流程， 戴明環（PDCA）對於改進組織內的運營狀態來講都是一種非常有用的方法。 應用PDCA， 有很多方法， 應用起來也相當靈活， 因此， 其已經成為希望在較短的時間內看到運營上有良好結果的人的理想方法。
1. 改善流程
Improving processes
改善流程
The main purpose of PDCA is, after all, to give you a platform for improving the internal processes within your organization. By correctly applying the methodology and using it to evaluate the performance of your organization, you can ensure that every process used in the company from top to bottom can be pushed forward in a controlled, systematic manner.
畢竟， PDCA的主要目的是：為在組織中提供一個改進內部流程的平臺。 通過正確地應用PDCA， 以及使用其來評估組織的業績， 可以保證公司自上而下運作的每一個流程都能以可控的、系統化的方式得以向前推進。
This is important, because many companies fail to realize the importance of controlled improvement, and end up investing far too many resources in areas of their operation that end up being largely irrelevant in the long run. PDCA allows you to gain control of the situation and ensure that every change you’re making moves things towards a proper goal.
這一點非常重要， 因為， 許多公司並沒意識到可控改善的重要性， 並最終在其業務領域投入了太多的資源， 而從長遠來看， 這些投入很大程度上都是毫不相關的。 PDCA， 能讓你控制局面， 並確保你所做的每一個變更都能朝著適當的目標邁進。
Sometimes you may need to go back and revise certain improvements after the data around them changes later on. That’s fine, as long as you have a good system in place to minimize the impact on other areas of your organization.
有時， 當後面的資料在後續有變化時， 可能需要返回並修正某些改進。
2. 適應變化
Adapting to a changing environment
適應環境的變化
It’s not rare for modern companies to have to work in markets that are very dynamic and evolve in great leaps. Making sure that your operations are always relevant in these circumstances can be tricky, and leaders occasionally realize that the changes they’ve been making to their processes end up pushing them backwards, not forward.
在不斷變化和快速發展的市場中運作的現代公司， 要適應環境變化這一點確實是不少見。 在這些情況下， 確保合適運作確實是棘手的，
Avoiding this is as simple as knowing what to expect from each of those changes, and that boils down to applying the PDCA method correctly. When you’re working according to a properly defined plan, and you also verify the results of each change, it becomes much easier to know that you’re pushing the business as a whole in the right direction.
避免這一點， 要與知曉需要從每一個變化中期望得到什麼一樣簡單， 要歸結為對PDCA的正確應用。 當你按照一個定義好的正確的計畫開展工作， 並且也驗證了每一個變化的結果時， 那麼， 要理解把整個企業推向了正確的方向， 就會變得相對容易很多。
Understanding what your customers want is often a huge issue for many organizations, and it can take a long time to adapt your processes towards this goal appropriately. Once you’ve done that though, you’ll find it much easier to ensure that you’re moving in the right direction.
對於很多組織而言， 理解客戶的需求是什麼， 確實是一個很大的問題。 讓流程適當地適應這一目標， 的確需要很長時間。 一旦做到這一點， 你會發現朝著正確方向前進會變得更加容易。
3. 保持領先
Staying ahead of the market
在市場中保持領先
Last but definitely not least, PDCA can allow you to stay ahead of your competition in the circumstances we described above. It’s not just about adapting to the market and customer demands – you have to ensure that you’re also relevant with regards to your direct competitors. PDCA can allow you to implement changes in your operations that specifically target your competitiveness potential, and attack the market from directions that allow you to establish a more solid presence on it.
最後， 但絕對不是最不重要的。 PDCA， 可以讓你在改善流程與適應環境變化方面領先于競爭對手。 這不僅僅是為了適應市場和客戶的需求， 你也得確保與直接競爭對手保持聯繫。 PDCA， 可以讓你實現企業運作上的變更， 特別是在市場競爭方面， 能讓你建立更為穩固的專業品牌， 從不同的方向搶佔市場。
To this end, PDCA relies heavily on collecting a lot of information about the current state of the market. There are many ways to go about this, and data collection is a whole separate area of its own that deserves a more dedicated look, but as long as you take care to plan ahead and know what kinds of data points you need to target, you should find yourself with a lot of relevant information that can prove useful in the long run.
就這一點而言， PDCA， 在很大程度上要依賴於收集的市場狀況的大量資訊。
Analyzing that information properly is just as important of course, but correct data collection practices tend to go hand in hand with the appropriate analysis methods. As long as you’ve picked the right system to gather the information in the first place, you should also be able to process it accordingly and do something useful with it.
正確分析這些資訊， 同樣非常重要， 但是正確的資料收集往往會與適當的分析方法是密切相關的。 一旦一開始就選擇了正確的系統來收集資訊， 那麼， 你應該也能對資料進行相應地處理， 並利用這些資料做一些有益的事情。