A gist of the contents at the URL: Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Worksheet is a useful tool for documenting a test of change. The PDSA cycle is shorthand for testing a change by developing a plan to test the change (Plan), carrying out the test (Do), observing and learning from the consequences (Study), and determining what modifications should be made to the test (Act).
Background
Used in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s "Methods and Tools for Breakthrough Improvement" course, the PDSA Worksheet has been used by hundreds of health care organizations.
Directions
Use the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Worksheet to help your team document a test of change. Fill out one PDSA Worksheet for each test you conduct. Your team will test several different changes, and each change will go through several PDSA cycles. Keep a file (either electronic or hard copy) of all PDSA Worksheets for all changes your team tests.