Feedforward controls focus on operations before they begin. Their goal is to prevent anticipated problems. An example of feedforward control is scheduled maintenance on automobiles and machinery. Regular maintenance feeds forward to prevent problems. Other examples include safety systems, training programs, and budgets.
Concurrent controls apply to processes as they are happening.
Feedback controls focus on the results of operations. They guide future planning, inputs, and process designs. Characteristics of Effective Controls Control systems must be designed properly to be effective. When control standards are inflexible or unrealistic, employees cannot focus on the organization's goals. Control systems must prevent, not cause, the problems they were designed to detect.