Feedforward versus Feedback Systems

• Simple feedback systems measure outputs of a process and feedback system or the inputs of the system corrective actions to obtain desired outputs. For most management problems, because of time lags in the correction process, this is not good enough. Feedforward systems means inputs into a process to ascertain whether the inputs are as planned, if they sad not, the inputs, or perhaps the process, are changes in order to obtain the desired results. A comparison of feedforward and feedback systems is depicted in Figure 18-2.
Figure 18-2 Comparison of simple feedback and feedforward systems
........Information [Desired values of outputs (standards)]=^
----Corrective action
[Inputs]=^>[Process]>[Outputs]=^
[Feedforward] [Simple feedback]
• In a sense, a feedforward control system is really a kind of feedback system. However, the information feedback is at ve input side of the system so that corrections can be made before the system output is affected. Also that corrects can be made before the system output is affected. Also, even with a feedforward system, since noting can be expected to work perfectly enough to ensure that the final output will always be exactly as desired.
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Fundamentals of Management : Controlling