Potential Problem Analysis

Potential Problem Analysis, A technique designed by Kepner and Tregoe (1981) as component of their problem refixing method. Its aim is to provide a difficult evaluation of an idea being developed or activity plan so that you could determine methods which it may fail. See BulletProofing and Unfavorable Conceptualizing

The technique is closely relates to some of the techniques used in determining potential mistakes in complex equipment systems, it has a ‘rational' instead compared to ‘creative' approach, but still provides and premium provide of innovative sets off if approached in an creative spirit.

A considerable quantity of initiative is required to perform the evaluation thoroughly and therefore the technique is usually set apart for the more supreme activity plan (or perhaps the last handful of options).

1. Specify the Key requirements, a ‘must' - outcomes, activities or occasions that must occur if the application is to be effective. Failing of any one of these is most likely to cause problems.
2. Record and investigate all feasible problems for each of the key requirements that have currently been determined, listing all ‘potential problems' - i.e. potential ways it could fail (a method such as Unfavorable Conceptualizing could help) and appearance at each of them (a method such as 5 Ws and H could help). If you have actually come up with an extra of feasible problems, it's recommended to earn a initial estimate of the mostly risk (see listed below) that each problem produces, so that you could give focus on the remainder of the evaluation on those that offer the best risk.
3. List feasible causes for each potential problem, and the risk associated with it, the risk reflects both the possibility of an occasion, and the seriousness of the impact if it did, so that ‘high possibility / high impact' causes present the highest risk.
4. Develop preventative activities where feasible instead compared to needing to muddle through a problem after it has happened. Where feasible attempt to develop ways of preventing potential problem causes or minimising their impacts and estimate the recurring risk that might still remain also if preventative activity were taken.
5. Develop backup plans where necessary, i.e. where problems would certainly have major impacts, but you angle prevent them, or there's a high recurring risk also if you do.
6. The table (step 7) listed below is a simple way of showing the evaluation, which could include a variety of quantitative estimates from crude ‘high, medium and low' subjective judgements, to carefully, investigated measures depending upon the demands of the circumstance.