My team is spread across three time zones, and we are trying to run a PDCA cycle for our digital marketing operations. We find it hard to maintain the momentum between the phases when we aren't in the same room. What software tools do you use to track each stage of the cycle?
3 answers
For remote PDCA, visibility is everything. We use a combination of Trello and Miro. We use Miro for the "Plan" phase because it allows for collaborative brainstorming and root cause analysis via digital sticky notes. Then, we move the tasks into a Trello board with columns specifically labeled Plan, Do, Check, and Act. This allows everyone to see exactly where a specific initiative sits in the cycle. We also link our data reports directly into the "Check" cards so that the evidence is always just one click away for the entire team regardless of their time zone.
Have you tried using specialized QMS (Quality Management System) software, or do you find that general project management tools like Asana are sufficient for most PDCA needs?
We use Notion for our PDCA cycles. The ability to embed databases and documents in one place makes the documentation for the Check and Act phases incredibly seamless.
Notion is a fantastic choice, Maria. Having a "Single Source of Truth" is vital for remote teams to ensure no one is working off an outdated version of the Plan.
James, for most marketing or software teams, Asana is more than enough. Specialized QMS software can be a bit too rigid and "heavy" for fast-moving creative or tech teams. The flexibility of Asana allows you to customize the workflow to fit your specific iterative needs much better.