Key Points

• An out-of-control action plan is a contingency plan for worst-case scenarios.
• OCAPs are best when you have complex processes and projects.
• When things spiral having an OCAP in place can help the project get back on track.

What is an Out of Control Action Plan?

The final phase of (Lean) Six Sigma’s DMAIC framework is Control. Its purpose is twofold: to ensure action items from the previous phase are efficiently implemented and maintained. Further, it is used to monitor any variants in the improved process that fall above or below the pre-determined control limits.

One of the most widely used tools in this phase is the control chart: a simple and effective tool to monitor process performance over time as it relates to variability. Additionally, a control chart indicates whether or not we are operating within acceptable limits (control limits). If the data falls outside of these limits we are out of control.

Overview: What is an Out of Control Action Plan?

The out-of-control action plan is a type of contingency control chart. However, they are not always needed – only when the data being measured in the Control phase falls outside of the range that was pre-determined to be acceptable.

Consequently, being outside of this control range, whether it’s too high or too low – means there is now an “out of control” situation that must be addressed quickly. As such, the OCAP outlines the steps to follow to correct the data. The outputs are back within the acceptable range.

The OCAP’s purpose is to help teams identify and correct the root causes that are causing problems in their processes. The OCAP works by helping teams identify variables that have possible effects on the process, including consequences or trends.

However, once these are identified, it gives a way for teams to investigate each one independently to determine its impact on performance.

3 Benefits of Using an Out of Control Action Plan

1. It Helps You Gather Data and Make Sense of It

This is particularly useful when you are trying to understand why a process is not working the way it should be.

2. It Helps You Get Rid of Waste in Your Process.

Waste is anything that doesn’t add value to the customer and could be eliminated from your system without impacting the quality or quantity of output.

3. It Helps You Establish a Clear Action Plan for Improvement.

Having an action plan means that everyone involved knows what needs to be done next. In this case, makes it easier for them to move forward with their work without getting off track by distractions. Such distractions aren’t allowing for improvements to come about.

Why Is the Out of Control Action Plan Important to Understand?

The Out of Control Action Plan (OCAP) is one of the most widely misunderstood improvement tools in all of Lean Six Sigma. Just saying “OCAP” or viewing a picture doesn’t give someone a thorough understanding of the tool.

However, OCAP is best for when you have batch processes, multiple causes, and long cycle times. As such, it’s easier to illustrate a concept through a practical application than just spew out theoretical jargon. Make sure you understand this tool because people within your organization will be able to apply it directly on the job.

An Industry Example of Out of Control Action Plan

While OCAPs are in use by many different companies across multiple industries, they are particularly useful for the manufacturing industry. Consider the idea of an Out of Control Action Plan. It is simply knowing how to respond to and address any adverse outcomes to any professional endeavor.

It is arguably of value for just about any industry. Let’s look at one you might least expect: social media.

To have an effective social media campaign, having executable plans is key. However, what is often harder than coming up with strategies? Knowing how to reach the audience is knowing how to react to the unexpected.

In the online world, where social media can generate millions of comments about a brand in minutes, that can be a difficult thing to prepare for. What if no matter what you do, you come under attack?

However, what if you take the opposite approach and ignore what’s being said about you, but it turns out you should respond? What if the things people are saying don’t reflect at all what your brand stands for or how you want the world to see you?

The best response to this is to prepare in advance. Accordingly, if something happens, you don’t end up scrambling and hoping for the best. The primary purpose of an Out of Control Action Plan is to increase your chances of meeting your message goals (achieving the desired, expected outcome) while minimizing risk or damage (keeping variants within control limits).

Why It Matters

Contingency plans are always a good thing to have in your pocket. Now, an OCAP is a great way of meeting a process’s needs, especially in a particularly complex one. Redundancy and business continuity plans are common in many industries, developing an OCAP for your projects is a safety net for when things go pear-shaped.

3 Best Practices When Thinking About Out-of-Control Action Plans

1. Think About the Customer’s Needs and How You Can Best Meet Them

Being proactive rather than reactive is a far more efficient use of resources. It is also important to constantly communicate with the customer. Doing so makes sure that their needs are met.

2. Have a Clear Plan for How You Will Execute the OCAP and Make Sure Everyone Is on the Same Page

Having a clear plan is essential for successfully executing an Out of Control Action Plan. Everyone needs to be on the same page in order to avoid confusion and chaos.

Make sure that everyone understands the plan and knows what their role is. Having a clear plan will help ensure that the out-of-control situation is effective and efficient.

3. Take Care to Test and Measure the Results of Your Actions to Ensure They Are Having the Desired Effect

if you are doing something to improve your productivity. Whether it is organizing your work, or controlling your costs, you are making progress. This helps you accurately measure the impact of any changes.

Other Useful Tools and Concepts

Now that you’re up to speed on the concepts and principles behind OCAP, it’s time to dive into some other subjects. Hypothesis testing is a crucial part of any production pipeline, especially if you’re analyzing data in the aftermath of a process. Learning how a hypothesis and null hypothesis differ can help you determine whether or not your data points are on track.

Further, if you’re having issues visualizing a given process, learning how to map it is essential. However, you might have some questions about whether to use a flowchart or process map. Our guide covers both of these tools and how to best approach their use.

One Way to Solve Many Problems

You can not look at how lean business operations will work if you do not understand repeatable processes. In the past, many companies have followed the same method of doing things over and over again.

It is the cause of many quality issues. The idea of using an Out of Control Action Plan is to help eliminate the issues. These are caused by repetitive processes. As such, it has become a popular way of solving many of the quality issues. These are issues that arise in the business world today.