In a method for controlling a thermodynamic process, in particular a combustion process, in which the system status (st) is measured, compared with optimization targets (rj), and in which suitable setting actions (ai) are performed in the system for controlling it, a process model (PM) is determined that is independent of the optimization targets (rj) and which describes the effects of actions (at) on the system status (st), and in which a situational evaluation (SB) that is independent of the process model (PM) evaluates the system status (st) by means of quality functions (ut) with regard to the optimization targets (rj).