Plan-Do-Check-Act and the Management of Institutional Research. AIR 1992 Annual Forum Paper.

This paper describes the application of a Total Quality Management strategy called Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) to the projects and activities of an institutional research office at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. PDCA is a cycle designed to facilitate incremental continual improvement through change. The specific steps are defined as follows: (1) plan an event, including establishing the measures of success or quality as well as determining the process to be followed; (2) do the event on a small stage; (3) check the effects of the event; and (4) act on what is learned. This approach is applied at three levels, the office or strategic level, the project or management level, and the activity or operating level. For each stage of the cycle the application at each level of the office is detailed. A conclusion notes that applying the PDCA cycle has allowed the inistitutional research office staff to improve skills in relevant ways and to improve the office products. The approach is action oriented and has served to bring the office and its customers together and to anticipate the future. Included are 14 references. (JB)