The ACT stage is the stage where corrective actions are decided upon and implemented to meet the final targets, following up on the CHECK stage where progress was checked against expected targets.
Depending upon the outcomes of the evaluation, corrective actions and continuous improvement might have to be organised, especially when performance gaps are observed. Due to the complex nature of progressing towards sustainable low carbon cities, it is likely that uncertainties will persist, or surprises
occur, and the output may not always fit what was planned. Therefore, it is crucial that the progress of urban smart and sustainable development should be reviewed on a regular basis and corrective and preventive measures should be adopted wherever applicable. It is recommended that cities adopt an evaluation and continuous improvement management cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act, PDCA) to perform those tasks effectively over time.
The iterative, four-stage approach of the PDCA process aims to continually improve the action plans or projects to meet the expected final objectives. The PDCA cycle helps to solve problems and implement solutions in a rigorous, methodical way. Following these four stages will ensure getting the highest quality
results and achieving the expected/planned objectives. The method for developing and implementing integrated plans as proposed in this roadmap, is partly based on the PDCA cycle, from the ISO High level management system principles (ISO, 2019).
At this ACT stage, that follows the CHECK stage where the (intermediate) results of projects or action plans are analysed against the expectations defined in the PLAN stage, corrective actions are defined, agreed and implemented if the CHECK stage shows that the expected targets would not be met. In that case, it will be necessary to repeat this iterative process as long as the results are not in line with the expectations or earlier defined targets. This might even imply adjustments to the plan and going back to specific implementation steps in the DO stage.