Who developed the PDCA cycle used in quality improvement processes?

The correct answer is that the PDCA cycle, which stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act, was developed by Walter A. Shewhart. Shewhart is credited with introducing this iterative framework as part of a systematic approach to quality improvement in processes. His work laid the groundwork for modern quality management and statistical control methods.

Shewhart's PDCA cycle emphasizes the need for continuous improvement through a structured cycle of planning a change, executing it, checking the results, and then acting upon what has been learned to make further improvements. This process-driven approach is fundamental in various quality management systems and is widely used in healthcare and many other industries to enhance service delivery and outcomes.

While figures like W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran contributed significantly to quality management literature, particularly in popularizing and expanding upon Shewhart's principles, it is Shewhart who initially formulated the concept of the PDCA cycle. This distinction is crucial for understanding the historical development of quality improvement methodologies.