Findings
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Now that your PDSA cycle is complete, present your findings – your final results. In your report, you'll need to display your findings using |
Describe what you found
Your findings are evidence of the improvement your project has made.
There are two parts to your write-up:
- data – presented using QI tool(s).
- discussion – a written interpretation and summary of what you found.
When deciding how to present your findings, think about what you are trying to explain to your reader.
Presenting data
Use QI tools such as graphs, diagrams, and tables so your findings can be easily understood.
Make sure you 
include labels so people know what they're looking at.
It's fine to choose QI tools that are different to the ones you put on your pre-approval form.
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Common quality improvement tools: |
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Table |
Allows complex data to be organised and displayed clearly. |
Pie chart |
Measurements are represented as proportional slices of a circular graph or "pie". Visually easy to understand. |
Also known as a bar graph. Visually easy to understand – most significant data is shown by the longest bar. One set of data can be shown next to data from future cycles for easy comparison. |
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Used to show how processes change over time. Useful for showing how changes influence processes or outcomes. |
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Displays the steps in a process as they occur sequentially, with potential "branches" where there is more than one possible pathway. Useful for describing processes and plans. |
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A preprepared structured form used for collecting multiple samples of information taken at the same time/location/step in a process. |
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Looks like a bar graph, but displays sequential data over time. |
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Use when you have pairs of data and you want to see the relationship between them. |
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American Society for Quality: Quality Tools has more information on quality tools, and templates to download. |
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Discussion
Explain what your findings showed. The explanation should be factual and related to your original project aim.
Include:
- What did you measure – your key metrics?
- How did your data show changes to key metrics as the project progressed?
For example:
- changes to health outcomes?
- changes to inequities?
- anything else significant?
- Did your project achieve its initial aim – the change you hoped to see?
In your CQI report: Write a Findings section |
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What results did you get? |
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Include:
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◄ Previous: Act |
Next: Outcomes ► |
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