NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 20020080889: Risk Assessment System

1 Pages·0.18 MB·English

by  NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

I Risk Assessment System
ith today's complex models to answer two ques- Mike Austin, senior programmer
systems, there is increas- tions about system failures: for FEAT during its Lockheed/
ing need for tools that What happens to a system if a NASA evolution; and John
provide quality analysis and particular event happens? And Reed, who brought extensive
help management track the what are the possible causes marketing experience to
intricate process of risk assess- of the event? the team. In the accompany-
ment. To that end, Lockheed The digraph model uses ingpboto, Miller is at right,
Engineering and Sciences circles and arrows to indicate Austin at left and Reed in the
Company developed, under the propagation of failure center.
company funding, a software effects throughout a system, They introduced the Diquest
system-for evaluating risks; the capturing all the failure interac- Analyzer in 1992, with initial
system was subsequently tions within and between focus on safety organizations in
enhanced under NASA funding subsystems. A particular failure the chemical industry for risk
and it became known as FEAT, event is chosen via a "point and assessment, design evaluation
for Failure Environment Analy- shoot" graphic interface. The and change management. More
sis Tool. FEAT uses directed results are displayed on a color recently, the technology has
graph - or digraph - models highlighted schematic familiar found application in operations
A SOFTWARE SYSTEM to provide information on to the user. monitoring, diagnostics and
cause and effect if a set of As a design tool, the Diquest training of new personnel.
failure events occurs. Analyzer helps reviewers
FOR NASA RISK
FEAT served as the basis understand what redundancies
for a family of spinoff software have been built into a system
EVALUATION PROVIDED tools based on digraph model and where weaknesses need to
methodology developed by be protected or designed out.
DiGraphics, Inc., Houston, DiGraphics was founded in
A BASIS FOR A NEW
Texas. The company's "flag- 1991 by James Miller, original
ship" product is the Diquest designer of the FEAT technolo-
FAMILY OF SPINOFF Analyzer, which uses digraph gy as a Lockheed employee;
SOFTWARE TOOLS
Public Safety