A heavy equipment manufacturer is following the Deming cycle for its quality management. At which stage of the cycle does the manufacturer need to check the output versus the specifications?

The Act stage involves implementing changes based on the outcomes evaluated during the Study phase. While it is essential for making adjustments and improvements, it does not focus on checking the output against specifications; rather, it is about taking action based on the findings from the previous phase.

In the Plan stage, objectives and processes are defined to achieve desired outcomes. This phase sets the groundwork for what needs to be accomplished but does not involve checking outputs against specifications, as it is primarily focused on planning the approach to quality management.

The Do stage is where the planned processes are executed. During this phase, the manufacturer implements the changes or processes laid out in the Plan stage. However, checking performance against specifications occurs in the Study phase, not during execution.