It is an everyday occurrence that problems arise where event outcomes do not meet the desired results planned for those events. Problems can develop with a person’s work schedule, travel plans, leisure activities, and even sleep. This is the same for business processes. Problems can occur within a business process where the outcomes of a process do not match what was planned for that process, generally at the cost of lost time, money, or resources. Problems can develop suddenly with an abrupt shift in process results, or can occur gradually over time where changes in process results are a little more subtle. Regardless of how the problem is detected, it is desired to take action to correct the problem, this is also commonly called corrective action.
It is an everyday occurrence that problems arise where event outcomes do not meet the desired results planned for those events. Problems can develop with a person’s work schedule, travel plans, leisure activities, and even sleep. This is the same for business processes. Problems can occur within a business process where the outcomes of a process do not match what was planned for that process, generally at the cost of lost time, money, or resources. Problems can develop suddenly with an abrupt shift in process results, or can occur gradually over time where changes in process results are a little more subtle. Regardless of how the problem is detected, it is desired to take action to correct the problem, this is also commonly called corrective action.The term corrective action can bring about some confusion as many buzzwords tend to follow the problem solving process. Some of these terms (CAPA, CAR, SCAR, SCA, PDCA, 8D, 7D, 6D, 5D, 4D, A3, etc.) are company or industry specific, and can be further complicated when termed only by their root cause analysis method. These buzzwords are often used to term the corrective action process, the presentation/reporting method, or the root cause method used, but the intent of the process is still the same. All corrective action methods focus on containing the problem, eliminating its cause, and preventing its recurrence. If the same problem continues to recur, then it is most likely the true root cause was not determined and only the symptoms of the root cause were being corrected. Problems may also recur if the implemented corrective action was not effective, but this should be tested prior to permanent implementation.
If we look at the corrective action process, the first step is to accurately define the problem because “if you don’t know where you are, you can’t get where you’re going”. Once the problem is clearly defined, the problem should be contained/corrected to prevent it from affecting other processes, or the customer. When the problem is contained, the root cause of the problem will need to be determined in order to prevent its recurrence. Many root cause analysis methods are available and several methods may need to be used to determine root cause depending on the complexity of the problem. After the root cause has been determined, it should be tested to ensure the problem can be turned on/off by the root cause – this may not be feasible for all corrective actions. Once the root cause has been validated, corrective action is put in place to prevent the problem from recurring. The effectiveness and ongoing relevance of the corrective action should be monitored to ensure the process continues to function as planned.
A corrective action is a great tool for companies to utilize when problems arise. Its structure is intuitive and follows the natural progression seen within day-to-day problem solving. A corrective action is an excellent resource when a gradual or abrupt change in a process output occurred, and should be used to ensure all aspects of the problem have been considered and corrected.
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