Countermeasures were selected to address verified root causes.

17. Countermeasures were selected to address verified root causes.

In the context of organizational improvement, a countermeasure is an idea that a team believes will reduce or eliminate root causes. A countermeasure does not explicitly tell how
an idea will be implemented. Rather, a countermeasure is a possible root cause solution that must be evaluated and refined before a team can determine if it is a good course of action or
not. Countermeasures can come from informal discussion, brainstorming, reviewing best practices from other organizations, relying on staff expertise, or any other helpful resource.
You can think of countermeasures as ideas that an organization uses to eliminate the root cause of a problem. For example, if the root cause of a problem is that the office is too cold,
then a logical countermeasure would be to make the office warmer. Notice that this countermeasure says nothing about how this goal will be achieved. Making the office
warmer is simply an idea that seems to logically eliminate the root cause. Another countermeasure might be to buy another office. Which of these two choices sounds more
feasible? Why?
Clearly, all countermeasures are not created equal. Factors such as time, cost, and available resources can affect how feasible any countermeasure might be. The goal of Checkpoint 17 is
to not simply find any countermeasures that might work, but to find the best countermeasures that consider all of the factors critical to success. This is achieved by
evaluating and refining the countermeasures into a list of those that the group believes to be
the best choices. An effective method for performing this evaluation process is to use a countermeasures matrix. The countermeasures matrix was introduced in the ets Decision
Making Tools course. We will begin creating a countermeasures matrix in this step, and finish the matrix in the next Checkpoint by adding practical methods and evaluating the
countermeasures.
Figure 1 below shows a countermeasures matrix created using the ets Microsoft Excel template. Notice how each countermeasure is listed alongside a respective root cause. You
can also see how space is provided next to each countermeasure for practical methods, and ratings of effectiveness and feasibility.
Figure 1: A Countermeasures Matrix Completing the countermeasures matrix is possible only after the practical methods have
been added. We will discuss practical methods in the next checkpoint.
Devising Good Countermeasures
When discussing countermeasures, a distinction must be made between actions taken to quickly fix the root cause an immediate remedy, and those actions that eliminate the root
causes and prevent them from recurring.
Too often organizations focus on the short term solution rather than taking steps to remedy the root cause. For example, if a lack of employees with technical skills is a root cause, then a
poor solution would be to layoff your current staff and rehire new employees with the proper skill base. Although this action may fix the root cause today, it is only a matter of time before
the same root cause will recur and you will be faced with the same issue. A better solution is to develop a countermeasure that prevents the root cause from recurring, such as initiating
an employee training program or training center. Countermeasures that actually prevent root cause recurrence usually pay dividends in other areas of the organization as well.
However your team creates countermeasures, be mindful of whether each suggestion is a quick fix or a long-term solution to the root cause. If you cant decide which are which, go
ahead and list your countermeasure on the countermeasure matrix. Most quick fix countermeasures will become apparent when practical methods, feasibility, and effectiveness
are considered.
This checkpoint is complete when your team has developed a list of countermeasures that focus on effective and sustained elimination of your root causes. In most cases, you should
begin constructing a countermeasures matrix in this Checkpoint. You will finalize your matrix in Checkpoint 18.
Example:
Figure 2: An Example Countermeasures Matrix The following analytical and decision-making tools may prove helpful in this Step:
The following tools and techniques may prove helpful in this process: •
Brainstorming •
Countermeasures Matrix
Key Point
ets FasTrack Summary 1 of 1:
An idea that a team feels, based on data and research, will eliminate or greatly reduce a root cause is called a:
Answer: Countermeasure
Step 4: Analyze - Checkpoint 18
18. The method for selecting the appropriate practical methods was clear and considered effectiveness and feasibility.
A practical method is literally the practical way in which a countermeasure could be used. In many cases, countermeasures can be implemented using a variety of techniques and
resources. Of these, many methods are more practical than the rest. The goal of this Checkpoint is to determine which methods of implementing your teams countermeasures
have the most likelihood of success.
Countermeasures tell what your team would like to do, and practical methods describe exactly how you might do it. Consider the example root cause from Checkpoint 17 in which the office
was too cold. One countermeasure for this root cause was to make the office warmer. In this case, you can probably think of many practical methods for achieving this: raise the
thermostat, require employees to bring sweaters, or perhaps even moving the office to a warmer climate. Each of these methods would seem to ways of achieving the
countermeasure, but clearly some of them are not as practical as the others. It is probably too expensive to move the office, and employees might not appreciate being required to wear
winter clothing year round.
For each countermeasure, your team must determine at least one practical method that can be used to implement the countermeasure. Each practical method should sound reasonable to
the team, and once listed, should be evaluated for both effectiveness and feasibility. We will explain what both of these terms mean below.
Effectiveness, in the context of a countermeasures matrix, refers to how well your countermeasure and practical method will work to close the gap. This rating is typically
determined using expert opinions and group consensus. When more than one practical method is listed for a countermeasure, be sure to evaluate the effectiveness of each practical
method individually.
Feasibility, in the context of a countermeasures matrix, is the degree to which a team feels that this practical method could actually be used. A practical method may be very effective,
but if it is forbidden due to law, or prohibitively high cost, then it is not very feasible. An important factor of feasibility is cost-effectiveness: how much benefit comes from this
practical method, and at how much cost? Cost effectiveness can be investigated using cost- benefit analysis of appropriate detail. The cost-benefit analysis technique is fully explained in
the ets course Decision Making Tools.
Once each countermeasure and practical method have been evaluated, the team must select which countermeasures they intend to implement. Teams may choose to implement more
than one countermeasure when they have adequate funding, time, or manpower. Be careful not to overextend your teams capabilities.
Figure 1 below shows a completed countermeasures matrix with countermeasures, each respective practical method, and ratings for effectiveness and feasibility. Notice how the team
Figure 1: A Completed Countermeasures Matrix A team is not required to use a countermeasures matrix to select their practical methods. In
they do not, however, the team should provide adequate documentation and explanations that support their decisions.
This checkpoint is complete when your team has determined, using a systematic approach, which countermeasures and practical methods should be implemented to correct the root
causes. Supporting information, either in the form of a countermeasures matrix or some other format, must be provided to justify the teams selections.
Example:
Figure 2: An Example Countermeasures Matrix In the example shown above, a team has evaluated their countermeasures and decided to
take action on three of them. In this case, specific countermeasures that also describe the practical method were used, instead of separate countermeasures and practical methods. This
is an acceptable format, and is included as an example so you are familiar with this shortcut notation.
The following analytical and decision-making tools may prove helpful in this Step:
• Countermeasures Matrix
• Cost-Benefit Analysis
Key Point
ets FasTrack Summary 1 of 2:
If countermeasures are ideas, what is the term that refers to the ways in which these ideas are implemented?
Answer: Practical methods
ets FasTrack Summary 2 of 2:
A countermeasures matrix ranks countermeasures and practical methods based on two criteria. What are these two criteria?
Hint: One is how well it will work, second is how practical is it to implement
Answer:
Effectiveness and feasibility
Step 4: Analyze - Checkpoint 19

19. Barriers and aids were determined for countermeasures worth implementing.