Nice article Brian,

"When you don't know anything' a good start is understanding the As-Is "Product Realization / Core Processes" of a business. These should be contained within the ISO 9001:2008 and under 2015 FDIS version, under "Operations". That requirement is the ONLY one with flowchart "Chevrons".

Prof M Imai "Kaizen" suggested that one starts with current processes and procedures and just getting people to do what is the 'documented procedure' will achieve a minimum of 15% improvement. So instead of starting with PDCA he recommended SDCA - Standardise then DCA, then move onto PDCA.

The Ford Motor Coy asked Dr Deming about this PDCA or Shewart Cycle. Could Dr Deming change it they asked? He rightly attributed it to Shewart (modified from the original Shewart cycle) but mostly attributable to Dr Deming.

The good doctor said it was Shewart's but in modifying it to PDCA, he wondered what Ford and Mr Petersen wanted to change it to?

Ford had implemented Control Charts (in SPC) and were having great success as we know in stabilising their processes 'Voice of the Process' stuff. However, to achieve Process Capability and Voice of the Customer outputs and then outcomes, they wanted to know could PDCA be changed to PDSA - Study. Reference Dobyns and Crawford -Mason's book "Quality or Else". They 'discovered' Dr Deming. 

So it was said that Ford had problems with their people 'Checking' their work 'Tick and Flick' if you will, as in reality they were Studying the Process. Hence why it was changed and used in AIAG texts on APQP + CP 3rd edition for the Auto sector as PDSA and not PDCA.

So when you don't know anything in Lean aka Industrial Engineering, one's ISO 9001:2008 and soon ISO FDIS 9001:2015 QM Standards are very good so long as you have the required "process-approach" and supported flowcharts and documented procedures and of course Statistical 'Process' Control VoP and VoC process performance records.

Using the IE / Work Study Flow Proces Charts in analysis the Value and non-Value Adding activties within a Process too would also deliver better Value from Lean Value Stream Mapping activities, as it is the only tool as ILO's Work Study, Work Simplification (A Mogensen) and Industrial Engineering fraternity know, that can define value in a process.

As everyone is now aware, ISO FDIS 9001:2015 will have PDCA and when asked - the Committees found that just getting this basic method through would be fine across so many countries, fair enough and a great disciplne as you described.

Michael