Event Tree Analysis
Event Tree Analysis (ETA) is a forward-looking, inductive risk assessment technique used to model the possible outcomes of an initiating event, such as a system failure or accident. It involves constructing a tree-like diagram that branches out to represent various success or failure paths of safety systems or human interventions, quantifying probabilities to estimate overall risk. ETA is commonly applied in safety-critical industries like nuclear power, aerospace, and chemical processing to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures and inform decision-making.
Developers should learn Event Tree Analysis when working on safety-critical or high-reliability systems, such as in aerospace, medical devices, or industrial automation, to systematically assess risk and design robust fault-tolerant architectures. It helps in identifying potential failure scenarios, evaluating the probability of adverse outcomes, and justifying safety measures to stakeholders or regulatory bodies, ensuring compliance with standards like ISO 26262 or IEC 61508.