Timing:-

Steering controls/feedforward/preliminary.

An attempt is made to control before the activity occurs. The controls anticipate the results and guide activities before the operation begins eg. New product development.

Yes- No Control: Assess an activity while it is in progress. Check points occur at which time progress is okayed. Corrective action is taken or progress is halted. Behavioural controls also attempt to control the behaviour a progress as an activity is in progress. By correcting the process as it occurs it is hoped that the actual performance can be kept close to the desired output. The more that is known about tasks the greater the tendency to use yes-no behavioural controls.

Post-Action controls: Measures/evaluates activities after they have been completed. Changes in new performance levels or goals are based on these evaluations and rewards are based on these controls. Used also for planning. To control activities in which processes are not well known, activities are measured post-action. This is a measure of output performance that can be evaluated and compared with desired goal.