Overview

The guide assumes that incidences develop from faults according to a common scheme. In this scheme, the unexpected events are generated by deviation from the rules describing normal operation, followed by escalation, according to the following sequence:

• Disruption. A trigger changes the state from routine to exceptional. Disturbances are expected when the system is in a routine state, and  is prepared to handle them. Normally, the operators can identify the exceptional situation, and find a way to resume normal operation
• Disorientation. Sometimes, the operators do not identify the exceptional situation (the case of l atent condition), or fail to resume normal operation promptly (the case of lengthy troubleshooting and recovery). In both cases, the system remains in the exceptional operational state.
• Escalation . Another disturbance arrives when the system is still in an exceptional state. The operational situation is unexpected. It is fuzzy, too complicated to handle.
• Incident . When the situation is unexpected, the system response to any event is unpredictable. This is the point where the system is most likely to fail.

Sources

This scheme is based on the scheme described by Harel & Weiss ( 2011 ).

Updated on 28 Nov 2016.