Risk in early design (RED)

"Risk assessments are necessary to anticipate and prevent accidents from occurring or repeating. This study focuses specifically on the relationship between function and risk in early design by presenting a mathematical mapping from product function to risk assessments which can be used in the conceptual design phase. This type of mapping will aid designers by removing the subjectivity of the likelihood and consequence value from a risk element, provide four key risk element properties (design parameter, failure mode, likelihood, and consequence) for numerous risk elements with one simple mathematical calculation, and provide a means for inexperienced designers to effectively address risk in the conceptual design phase. In addition, the level of detail a functional model should be written in to produce adequate risk assessments is examined. Four case studies are used to validate the proposed mapping: a spacecraft orientation subsystem, a subsystem to guide science instruments on an extraterrestrial, subsystems from a Bell 206 rotorcraft, and a nuclear power station"--Abstract, page iii.