Failure Modes & Effects Analysis Education
and Expertise Development

Education and guidance in the proactive risk assessment process of FMEA provides individuals with the ability to understand and identify process failure modes and to effectively evaluate these potential risk points in order to develop priorities for preventive actions. Traditional FMEA tools and approaches include outlining the process to determine specific activities, evaluating each activity to determine potential risk points or failure modes, determining the probability of occurrence, severity of the consequence, and effectiveness of the delectability systems. Risk points are prioritized and recommendations are described.

HPI enhances and expands this process with state-of-the-art human factors technology that incorporates a quantitative methodology for evaluating failures and strategies for preventing errors through process design and behaviors for error prevention. The methodology includes, estimating error probability based on the error type in the Generic Error Modeling System where each error is skill-based, rule-based, or knowledge-based; evaluating the effects of work environment factors such as time pressure, distractions, workload, and evaluating the effects of the factors that influence noncompliance.

Support includes classroom training of individuals who will be involved in or facilitate evaluation projects, guidance of teamwork and final review and comment on the final product. Telephone consultation is provided between visits as needed to advance the project.