Corrective Action

Patterns can be used to generate stable systems, such as project environments. (JimCoplien's generative organizational patterns are good examples of such patterns.)

Software projects are seldom stable systems, especially when under intense time pressure. Project leaders/managers spend much of their time applying "corrective actions" to bring the project back into stability, either by rebalancing forces or by restructuring the project. (Projects can pass through many types or variations of structures during their lifetime.)

CorrectiveAction patterns are those patterns that capture knowledge and experience on how return a system/project to stability.

Many AntiPatterns are CorrectiveAction patterns gone awry.

-- DaveSmith 10/19/95

I'm taking a bit of a leap by positing a new classification. Feedback, please.

I don't over-use the word "profound", and that's profound. -- JimCoplien

Project leaders also employ PreventativeAction patterns, which seek to keep the project system in stability by removing or mitigating potentially destabilizing events. -- DaveSmith 11/1/95

I wonder if Corrective Action patterns are really not so much patterns in themselves, but a measure of the divergence away from a pattern. In other words, if a software project is entering territory from which it should return (via the postulated Corrective Action), wouldn't it be returning TO a state wherein proActive patterns apply? -- Bob Gleason

One of Alexander's key principles is the principle of diagnosis. He is also concerned that budget always be in place for repair. The CorrectiveAction pattern fits nicely with A's ideas. -- Brian Moore

Knowing that Ward likes to see excerpts of other publications and pages here, also that wiki supports group conversation, here are a couple of paragraphs from the RiskManagementCatalog, a closely related topic ... (Located chez http://members.aol.com/acockburn/riskcata/risktoc.htm )

?Project management by risk reduction will only become common when there is a catalog of risk reduction strategies available to every project manager and team member. Feel free to download one of these pages and edit it to describe a risk reduction strategy you have encountered. Send it back to me and I'll put it into the catalog. Please put your email in so an interested reader can contact you about your suggestion! At some point, we shall find a way to organize them to make a proper catalog. In the meantime, we'll be putting our heads together. ?

This last has been informally rechristened to DayCare. Each page works diagnosis to prescription using a topic-specific pattern form. Incidentally, I am looking to host a workshop on Risk Management (patterns or strategies) this August, but have not decided through which organizations to host it. Any suggestions?

-- AlistairCockburn

If you are still looking for alternatives to AllAtOnce, how about

This name mostly refers to the later communication of upstream to downstream processes.

-- DanielVainsencher

The AllAtOnce got renamed to GoldRush after a project manager thought that AllAtOnce meant WaterFall!!

Actually, all of my risk reduction project management patterns are of the CorrectiveAction variety. There is not even problem mentioned, there is only a set of indications. The default problem is that the project is out of balance. These actions can be taken in advance to avoid getting out of balance, or as remedial actions at the time. -- AlistairCockburn

In cybernetic terms CorrectiveAction is a kind of feed back and PreventiveAction? is a kind of feed forward. Feeding a signal back into a system can be an effective tool as long as it acts to reduce the original error (FeedbackIsNoCliche?) but can go badly wrong when random or acting to make the error greater. -- DickBotting (3rd Nove 1999)

FeedbackIsControl.

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