Correction, Corrective Action and Preventive Action

The terms correction (or containment), corrective action and preventive action are used by various certification/improvement standards and models. The meaning of these terms in the context of two such certification/improvement standards and models, ISO standards and the CMMI models, has differences which need to be understood clearly for effective implementation.

From a technical standpoint the 'individual implementation' of these concepts has differences however from a conceptual standpoint their 'combined implementation' is equivalent.

Correction or containment

In ISO context this term pertains to taking an action to rectify an issue or an undesirable situation.

In CMMI context this term implies taking an action to rectify an issue or an undesirable situation. Though this term is not explicitly used by the model the term corrective action implies correction in the way ISO uses the term correction.

Corrective Action  

In ISO context this term pertains to addressing known issues by determining root causes and taking actons to prevent their recurrence in the future.

In CMMI context this term pertains to taking an action to rectify an issue or an undesirable situation. Though this term is explicitly used by the model it has a different meaning as compared to ISO. The practices of "Causal Analysis and Resolution" process area imply corrective action in the way ISO uses the term corrective action.

Preventive Action

In ISO context this term pertains to  addressing potential issues by determining root causes and taking actions to prevent their occurrence in the first place.

In CMMI context this term pertains to addressing known issues by determining root causes and taking actons to prevent their recurrence in the future. Though this term is not explicitly used by the model the practices of "Causal Analysis and Resolution" process area imply preventive action in the way ISO uses the term preventive action.