A free online reference for statistical process control, process capability analysis, measurement systems analysis, control chart interpretation, and other quality metrics.
When cycles are occurring, the data rises and falls in a rhythmic pattern. The pattern is definitely not random. This could be caused by some regular, periodic change in the system.
A positive aspect of cycles is that they tend to indicate that there is one major cause of variation, which will typically be changing in a similar cyclic fashion. If the cause of the cycle can be established and reduced, this should result in a major improvement to the process.
See also: >> Any nonrandom pattern >> Too close to the average >> Too far from the average >> Trends >> Clusters >> Sawtooth >> 2 of 3 points beyond 2 sigma >> 4 of 5 points beyond 1 sigma