What Is a Countermeasure?

A countermeasure is a corrective action taken to address an issue — things like design changes, process improvements, supplier fixes, or quality audits. You can link countermeasures to one or more issues so your team can see what's been done and whether it's making an impact.

When you link a countermeasure to an issue:

• A vertical line appears on the issue's Time tab chart at the activation date, so you can compare event volume before and after the fix
• A badge appears on the issue's card on the Issue Board

Where to Find Countermeasures

Library → Countermeasures in the left sidebar shows all countermeasures in your workspace — their name, description, activation date, event limit, and when they were created or edited. You can edit or delete countermeasures directly from this table.

You can also find countermeasures linked to a specific issue on that issue's Overview tab in the Countermeasures section.

Creating and Linking Countermeasures

You can create a countermeasure from two places:

• From the Library: Click + Create
• From an issue: Go to the Overview tab → Countermeasures section → click + Add, then choose Create New or Link Existing

When creating, you'll fill in a Name (required), optional Description, an Activation Date (required — when the fix went into effect), and an optional Event Limit for automatic effectiveness tracking.

You can optionally link the countermeasure to one or more root causes from your Root Causes library.

A single countermeasure can be linked to multiple issues, and a single issue can have multiple countermeasures.

Tracking Effectiveness with Event Limits

The Event Limit lets Axion automatically monitor whether a countermeasure is working. When you set one, Axion counts events that occur after the activation date. If that count exceeds the limit, the countermeasure is flagged as broken and you'll receive an alert.

If no Event Limit is set, the countermeasure stays in the "effective" state indefinitely — you can still assess effectiveness manually by reviewing the Time tab chart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can countermeasures automatically change the status of an issue?

No. Countermeasures track the effectiveness of a fix but don't change the issue's pipeline status. You'll need to update the status manually.

My countermeasure is never flagged as broken, even though events are still coming in. Why?

Check whether the Event Limit field was set. If it shows "-" in the library, automatic detection isn't active. Edit the countermeasure and set an Event Limit.

What should I set the Event Limit to?

It depends on the issue and what "acceptable" looks like after a fix. Some teams set it to zero, while others set a threshold based on expected residual volume.

Can I delete a countermeasure that's linked to issues?

Yes, but be careful — deleting it removes it from all linked issues, including the vertical line on Time tab charts and the badge on Issue Board cards.