Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) Practice Exam 2025 - Free Quality Engineer Practice Questions and Study Guide

The plan, do, check, act (PDCA) cycle is a fundamental framework used for continuous improvement across various industries and disciplines. Each component of the PDCA cycle plays a crucial role in ensuring a systematic approach to quality management and process improvement.

In the context of the PDCA cycle, "plan" refers to defining objectives and determining actions necessary to achieve those objectives. "Do" involves implementing the planned actions. "Check" is the evaluation of the results of the implementation to see if the planned objectives were met. These three components work together to create a cycle of continuous improvement.

The term "evaluate," while related to the checking and assessing of processes and outcomes, is not specifically defined as a component within the PDCA framework. Instead, it is encompassed within the "check" phase, where evaluation and assessment of the results are conducted to inform future actions.

Thus, the correct identification of "evaluate" as not being a distinct component of the PDCA cycle highlights its role as a broader term rather than a step outlined in this specific quality improvement methodology.