Identify risk
Identifying the things that could go wrong in the system
Identifying risks
To aid thinking more widely about possible risks, it is helpful to learn from past problems as well as looking for new problems (both described further down on this page).
Putting ‘What could go wrong?’ into practice |
|
---|---|
|
Learning from past problems
When assessing an existing system, it is important to consider what has already gone wrong. This is also often helpful when examining a new system that is similar to an existing one. If the system is entirely new, it may be more helpful to skip to looking for new problems (below).
There are two main avenues that can build an understanding of past problems:
- Consulting historical sources of data, such as incident reports and meeting minutes. Existing risk assessments (if available) can also be useful in highlighting issues to consider.
- Talking to people with experience of the system. These people could be interviewed or could be involved more directly in SSA meetings, perhaps using techniques for engaging stakeholders in the SSA.