In the PDSA cycle, which step involves collecting and studying the data to determine impact?

• A. Plan
• B. Do
• C. Study
• D. Act

Answer: (C)

In the PDSA cycle, the step that involves collecting and studying data to determine impact is the Study phase. After you implement a change (Do), you gather measurements, observe outcomes, and analyze what happened to see whether the change produced the intended improvement. This phase helps you compare actual results to your predictions from the Plan, so you can judge whether the change worked, what variation occurred, and what the data suggest about sustainability.

Plan sets up what you want to test and how you’ll test it; Do carries out the test; Act decides what to do next based on your findings. By studying the data, you decide whether to adopt the change, adjust it, or abandon it.