Every control plan row should trace to a PFMEA row. Write what is checked, how, how often and by whom, and write the reaction plan as steps rather than "notify supervisor". Control the inputs too, such as the packaging spec sent to the supplier.
The PFMEA says what can go wrong. The control plan says what you check, how often, and what happens when the check fails. If the PFMEA changed, the control plan has to change with it, or the new risk exists only on paper.
Trace every row
A good control plan row traces back to a PFMEA row. When the team added packing to the PFMEA, they added a matching row here:
| Step | Pack housings for shipment |
|---|---|
| Characteristic | Divider tote, one part per pocket, top face up |
| Method | Visual check against the posted photo |
| Frequency | Every tote |
| Who | Packout operator |
| Reaction plan | Stop, repack the tote, notify the lead, log it |
Each column answers a question someone on the floor will actually ask. What am I checking? How? How often? What do I do if it's wrong?
The reaction plan is the control
Weak control plans usually share the same gap: a check with no reaction plan, or one that just says "notify supervisor." That isn't a plan. Write the steps: stop, contain what's suspect, fix it, and record what happened. If the operator has to guess, you don't have a control.
Control the inputs too
The root cause started with a supplier changing the tote. So the team added a second row: incoming totes are checked for dividers at receiving, and the packaging spec sent to the supplier now names the divider design. That closes the system leg from Chapter 3. The next tote change can't arrive unnoticed.
The mistake to avoid
Writing "100% visual" and calling it done. A visual check with no defined criteria, no example of good and bad, and no reaction plan catches whatever the operator happens to notice on a busy day. Say what good looks like, and what happens when it isn't.
- Pick five rows from one control plan.
- Read each reaction plan out loud.
- If any says only "notify supervisor," rewrite it as steps this week.
Related on ShopFloorOps
The plant, the part and the complaint in this book (RMA-031) are a made-up example. The tool sidebars show ShopFloorOps tools, which I make and sell. Every chapter teaches the step itself, so you can use your own forms.