Definition
Control problems, actions to bring performance back into line; ad hoc responses to protect clients first and permanent responses to prevent relapse.
In detail
Countermeasures are actions that control the problem and bring performance back to expectations, divided into temporary countermeasures and permanent countermeasures. Temporary countermeasures first protect the customer and prevent the problem from expanding; permanent countermeasures eliminate the root cause and prevent recurrence. In the problem-solving system, countermeasures are the output of PSP (Problem Solving Process) and are closely linked to root cause analysis. Countermeasures are divided into temporary and permanent: temporary countermeasures first protect the customer and do not address the root cause; permanent countermeasures address the root cause and are synonymous with Corrective Action (see [[corrective-action]]). A countermeasure table is usually created, specifying the responsible person, date, and verification results.
Example in practice
A production line had product scratches, and customer complaints increased. The team first took temporary countermeasures, such as increasing inspection frequency to protect customers; then through PSP analysis, they found the root cause was conveyor belt wear, formulated a permanent countermeasure to replace with wear-resistant material, and verified the effect. Finally, they created a countermeasure table, tracked execution, and ensured the problem did not recur.