Feedback loop

Feedback loops are a concept taken from control theory. The concept applies equally to software systems and operations processes as it does to mechanical systems. The monitored results of a process, or the output of a system, are fed back into the control of the system so that the system can be adjusted as necessary to achieve desired outcomes. At a high level, feedback loops provide a mechanism to measure and evaluate the achievement of outcomes against expected baselines. This permits appropriate action to be taken in response to the feedback.