How to manage PDCA digitally using Factbird Action Plans
If you've ever run a PDCA cycle on a whiteboard, you know how easy it is to lose track of what was tested, who did what, or whether anything actually changed.
That’s why managing PDCA digitally can be a game-changer, especially when your using digital tools throughout your shop-floor already.
With Factbird Action Plans, you can structure, assign, and track PDCA improvements in a single place. No spreadsheets. No markers. Just clarity.
In this lesson, we’ll show you exactly how that works.
Step 1: Spot a problem in your data
Let’s say you're looking at your production analytics in Factbird and notice a spike in product jams over the last 48 hours.
Instead of just noting it down, you can take action right away.
Click into the stop cause and choose “Create Action Plan.” This links the issue directly to your real production data, giving context from the start.
Step 2: Plan your fix
When the Action Plan opens, you’ll see fields that follow the PDCA flow:
- Problem statement / concern
- Suspected root cause
- Containment action
- Proposed countermeasure
- Responsible person
- Due dates and status
You’re not just writing notes. You’re creating a structured plan your team can follow, update, and revisit later.
Step 3: Assign and document tasks
Let’s say one idea is to lower the line speed slightly to reduce jams.
You can create a task like:
“Get approval to test 10% lower speed on Line 4 during second shift.”
Assign it to a maintenance technician or production manager. Once it’s assigned, they’ll get an email with the details and can update the status directly in the system.
Step 4: Track results and move through the cycle
As you work through Do, Check, and Act, you can update the plan’s status. Everyone involved can see:
- What was tried
- What worked
- What was documented
- Whether the action has been standardized
You can even attach images, reports, and production data as evidence, making it easier to review later or scale across sites.
Why teams love it
Factbird’s Action Plans have been a popular feature with users. For manufacturers, it means:
- No more lost whiteboards or outdated Excel sheets
- Clear accountability for actions
- Linked directly to real production problems
- Easy to revisit and repeat
- Improves team collaboration and visibility
Instead of scattered notes and side conversations, you have a shared, structured record of how improvements were made and whether they worked.
Try it
PDCA doesn’t have to be complicated. And with digital tools like Factbird Action Plans, it doesn’t have to be manual either.
👉 Request a free demo of Factbird Action Plans
🆓 Download our PDCA template to get started manually
🎧 Listen to the PDCA podcast episode for more examples