Method for operating a machine tool and/or production machine with the following steps: - comparing at least one target position value (Xtarget, Ytarget, Ztarget, Atarget, Ctarget) of a machine axis (A, B, C, X, Y, Z) and/or a tool centre point with an actual position value (Xactual, Yactual, Zactual, Aactual, Cactual) and/or - comparing at least one target speed of the machine axis and/or the tool centre point with an actual speed and/or - comparing at least one target acceleration of the machine axis and/or the tool centre point with an actual acceleration, - forming at least one actual quality value (Gactual) on the basis of the comparison or comparisons, wherein a difference signal is ascertained from the target position values and the actual position values and/or from the target speeds and the actual speeds and/or from the target accelerations and the actual accelerations over a specific period of time and the difference signal is fed to a signal analysis method, wherein variables determined using the signal analysis influence the actual quality value (Gactual), - comparing a target quality value (Gtarget) with the actual quality value, - reducing a feed speed (Fmax) and/or acceleration (amax) and/or jerk (rmax) of the machine axis (A, B, C, X, Y, Z) and/or the tool centre point if a defined deviation (Ad) of the actual quality value (Gactual) from the target quality value (Gtarget) is exceeded or storing information about the fact that the defined deviation (Ad) of the actual quality value (Gactual) from the target quality value (Gtarget) has been exceeded if the defined deviation (Ad) of the actual quality value (Gactual) from the target quality value (Gtarget) is exceeded. - comparing at least one target position value (Xtarget, Ytarget, Ztarget, Atarget, Ctarget) of a machine axis (A, B, C, X, Y, Z) and/or a tool centre point with an actual position value (Xactual, Yactual, Zactual, Aactual, Cactual) and/or - comparing at least one target speed of the machine axis and/or the tool centre point with an actual speed and/or - comparing at least one target acceleration of the machine axis and/or the tool centre point with an actual acceleration, - forming at least one actual quality value (Gactual) on the basis of the comparison or comparisons, wherein a difference signal is ascertained from the target position values and the actual position values and/or from the target speeds and the actual speeds and/or from the target accelerations and the actual accelerations over a specific period of time and the difference signal is fed to a signal analysis method, wherein variables determined using the signal analysis influence the actual quality value (Gactual), - comparing a target quality value (Gtarget) with the actual quality value, - reducing a feed speed (Fmax) and/or acceleration (amax) and/or jerk (rmax) of the machine axis (A, B, C, X, Y, Z) and/or the tool centre point if a defined deviation (Ad) of the actual quality value (Gactual) from the target quality value (Gtarget) is exceeded or storing information about the fact that the defined deviation (Ad) of the actual quality value (Gactual) from the target quality value (Gtarget) has been exceeded if the defined deviation (Ad) of the actual quality value (Gactual) from the target quality value (Gtarget) is exceeded.