| Real PDCA Stage | Common Fake (NOT PDCA) | Belongs To | |---------------------|----------------------------|----------------| | Plan | Define | DMAIC | | Plan | Analyze | DMAIC | | Do | Measure | DMAIC | | Check | Improve | DMAIC | | Act | Control | DMAIC | | Act | Standardize | SDCA | | (None) | Evaluate (if separate from Check) | Generic |
To help you internalize this, let’s review actual question formats.
Question 1:
Which among below are not the stages of the PDCA cycle?
A) Plan
B) Do
C) Analyze
D) Act
Answer: C) Analyze.
Explanation: Analyze is a DMAIC phase, not a PDCA stage. The four stages are Plan, Do, Check, Act. which among below are not the stages of pdca cycle best
Question 2:
Select the option that is NOT a stage in the Deming Cycle (PDCA).
A) Check
B) Measure
C) Act
D) Plan
Answer: B) Measure.
Explanation: Measure is part of the Six Sigma DMAIC framework. PDCA uses Plan, Do, Check, Act.
Question 3 (Harder):
Which combination contains only stages that are NOT part of PDCA?
A) Plan, Do, Check
B) Analyze, Improve, Control
C) Act, Standardize, Do
D) Plan, Measure, Act | Real PDCA Stage | Common Fake (NOT
Answer: B) Analyze, Improve, Control.
Explanation: All three belong to DMAIC. None are PDCA stages. (Note: In option C, “Standardize” is not PDCA, but “Do” and “Act” are, so C is incorrect because it mixes real and fake.)
The PDCA Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) is one of the most fundamental frameworks in quality management, lean manufacturing, and continuous improvement. Developed by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, this iterative four-step model helps organizations solve problems and test hypotheses on a small scale before rolling out changes broadly.
However, in certification exams (like Six Sigma, ISO 9001, or PMP), quizzes, and corporate training, a common trick question appears: “Which among below are not the stages of the PDCA cycle?” Any term that is not one of these
To answer this correctly, you cannot simply memorize the four letters. You must understand common imposter stages—terms that sound like they belong in quality management but actually belong to other methodologies (DMAIC, Kaizen, 8D, or SDCA).
This article will list the authentic PDCA stages, expose the most frequent “fake” stages, and explain why they are incorrect.
Before identifying what is not part of the cycle, let us establish the gold standard. The genuine stages are:
Any term that is not one of these four—or a direct synonym (e.g., “Evaluate” for Check)—is likely a distractor.