LIST OF

TOOLS &
TECHNIQUES
RECOMMENDED
IN ISO 31010
 Brainstorming

produce an idea or way of

solving a problem by holding
a spontaneous group
discussion.
 Structured & Semi-‐structured Interviews

A semi-‐structured interview is a method of research used most often in the social sciences. While a
structured interview has a rigorous set of questions which does not allow one to divert, a semi-‐
structured interview is open, allowing new ideas to be brought up during the interview as a result of
what the interviewee says. The interviewer in a semi-‐structured interview generally has a framework of
themes to be explored.
 The Delphi method is a structured communication
technique or method, originally developed as a
Delphi Technique systematic, interactive forecasting method which
relies on a panel of experts. The experts answer
questionnaires in two or more rounds.
Checklist Technique
Preliminary Hazard Analysis

The preliminary hazard analysis

(PrHA) technique is a broad, initial
study used in the early stages of
system design. It focuses on (1)
identifying apparent hazards, (2)
assessing the severity of potential
accidents that could occur
involving the hazards, and (3)
identifying safeguards for reducing
the risks associated with the
hazards. This technique focuses on
identifying weaknesses early in the
life of a system, thus saving time
and money that might be required
for major redesign if the hazards
were discovered at a later date.
 HAZOP
Hazard and Operability Study

A hazard and
operability study
(HAZOP) is a
structured and
systematic
examination of a
complex planned
or existing process
or operation in
order to identify
and evaluate
problems that
may represent
risks to personnel
or equipment.
Hazard analysis and critical control points or
HACCP (/ˈhæsʌp/) is a systematic preventive HACCP
approach to food safety from biological,
chemical, and physical hazards in production
processes that can cause the finished product
to be unsafe, and designs measurements to
reduce these risks to a safe level.
 Environmental Risk Assessment

An environmental risk assessment (ERA) is a

process of predicting whether there may be a risk
of adverse effects on the environment caused by a
chemical substance. Environmental exposure
concentrations of a chemical are predicted and
compared to predicted no-‐effect concentrations
for different environmental compartments.
Structure What if? (SWIFT)
Scenario analysis
is a process of analyzing possible
future events by considering
alternative possible outcomes
(sometimes called "alternative
worlds"). Thus, scenario analysis,
which is one of the main forms of
projection, does not try to show one
exact picture of the future.
Business Impact Analysis

Risk Assessment

Business Impact Analysis

 ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a method

of problem solving used for identifying
the root causes of faults or problems.
Failure Mode Effect Analysis
Fault tree analysis (FTA)
is a top down, deductive failure analysis in which an or
undesired state of a system is analyzed using Boolean
logic to combine a series of lower-‐level events.

and or
Event tree analysis (ETA)
is a forward, bottom up, logical modeling
technique for both success and failure that
explores responses through a single initiating
event and lays a path for assessing probabilities of
the outcomes and overall system analysis.
Cause-‐Consequence
Analysis
Cause-‐consequence analysis (CCA) is a
method for analyzing consequence
chains and can be used individually or as
a supportive method for other analysis
methods. The objective of the analysis is
to recognize consequence chains
developing from failures or other
unwanted events, and to estimate these
consequences with their probabilities.
The cause-‐consequence structure of the
analysis is formed by combining two
different types of tree structures
together. To the consequence tree, built
from left to right, includes the examined
primary event and its follow-‐up events
leading eventually to a failure or some
other unwanted event like for example a
serious injury of a person.
Ishikawa Diagram / Fishbone Diagram / Cause and Effect Diagram

The Ishikawa Diagram, also known as the Fishbone Diagram or the

Cause-‐and-‐Effect Diagram, is a tool used for systematically identifying and
presenting all the possible causes of a particular problem in graphical
format. The possible causes are presented at various levels of detail in
connected branches, with the level of detail increasing as the branch goes
outward, i.e., an outer branch is a cause of the inner branch it is attached
to. Thus, the outermost branches usually indicate the root causes of the
problem.
Layer of Protection
Analysis (LOPA)
technique is described in detail in The
American
Institute of Chemical Engineers Center for
Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) publication
on
the subject [2]. An overview of the technique
is presented here. For more information the
reader is referred to the CCPS publication,
which contains a number of worked
examples and
extensive references.
Decision tree is a
decision support tool that uses a
tree-‐like graph or model of decisions
and their possible consequences,
including chance event outcomes,
resource costs, and utility. It is one
way to display an algorithm.
Human Reliability Analysis
Once potential sources of error have been
identified, actions can be developed to minimise or
mitigate their impact and improve the reliability of
human performance within the task. U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (2005). The SPAR-‐H Human
Reliability Analysis Method (nrc.gov).
‘Bowtie’ is a diagram that visualizes the risk
you are dealing with in just one, easy to understand the
picture. The diagram is shaped like a bow-‐tie, creating a
clear differentiation between proactive and reactive risk
management. The power of a BowTieXP diagram is that it
gives you an overview of multiple plausible scenarios, in a
single picture. In short, it provides a simple, visual
explanation of a risk that would be much more difficult to
explain otherwise.
Reliability-‐centered
maintenance
is a process to ensure that systems
continue to do what their users require
in their present operating context.
Sneak Circuit Analysis is a vital part of the safety
assurance of safety-‐critical electronic and electro-‐mechanical
systems. Sneak conditions are defined as latent hardware, software,
or integrated conditions that may cause unwanted actions or may
inhibit a desired function, and are not caused by component failure.
 Markov Analysis

A method used to forecast the

value of a variable whose
future value is independent of
its past history. The technique
is named after Russian
mathematician Andrei
Andreyevich Markov, who
pioneered the study of
stochastic processes, which are
processes that involve the
operation of chance.
Monte Carlo
simulation
performs risk analysis by building
models of possible results by
substituting a range of values—a
probability distribution—for any factor
that has inherent uncertainty. It then
calculates results over and over, each
time using a different set of random
values from the probability functions.
Bayesian network, Bayes network,
belief network, Bayes(ian) model or probabilistic directed acyclic graphical model is a
probabilistic graphical model (a type of statistical model) that represents a set of random
variables and their conditional dependencies via a directed acyclic graph (DAG).
F-N curves:
Curves relating the probability per year of causing
N or more fatalities (F) to N. This is the
complementary cumulative distribution function.
Such curves may be used to express societal risk
criteria and to describe the safety levels of
particular facilities.
Risk Index :
The risk index is the overall result of a risk assessment.
All indicators and indexes can be used in the calculation
for the risk index. It is a composite of the likelihood and
impact index. Likelihood : The likelihood index shows
the probability of a risk event occuring.
 The most common approach to the consequence
matrix is using “descriptors” as a way of
Consequence / determining how each risk may impact on the
organisation. ... catastrophic impact on an
Probability Matrix organisation's ability to achieve its objectives;
irrevocable damage to the reputation of the
organisation; and. high level, frequent litigation.
Cost benefit analysis
(CBA), sometimes called benefit cost
analysis (BCA), is a systematic approach to
estimating the strengths and weaknesses of
alternatives (for example in transactions,
activities, functional business requirements
or projects investments); it is used to
determine options that provide the best
approach to achieve benefits while
preserving savings.[1] The CBA is also defined
as a systematic process for calculating and
comparing benefits and costs of a decision,
policy (with particular regard to government
policy) or (in general) project.
Broadly, CBA has two main purposes:
1.To determine if an investment/decision is
sound (justification/feasibility) – verifying
whether its benefits outweigh the costs, and
by how much;
2.To provide a basis for comparing projects –
which involves comparing the total expected
cost of each option against its total expected
benefits.[2]
Multi-‐Criteria Decision Analysis, or
MCDA,
is a valuable tool that we can apply to many complex
decisions. It is most applicable to solving problems that are
characterized as a choice among alternatives. It has all the
characteristics of a useful decision support tool: It helps us
focus on what is important, is logical and consistent, and is
easy to use. At its core MCDA is useful for:

•Dividing the decision into smaller, more understandable parts

•Analyzing each part
•Integrating the parts to produce a meaningful solution
By Ahmad Azwang Aisram Omar
aisram@gmail.com