Visualising and Analysing Risks with Bowtie Diagrams
How to use interactive Bowtie diagrams to visualise MUEs, causes, consequences, and controls, including the use of AI-assisted Bowtie creation and analysis.
Purpose
Bowtie diagrams provide a clear, interactive visual of a Material Unwanted Event (MUE), its causes, consequences, and the controls managing the risk. They are directly linked to your MUE and Control records.
Interacting with the Bowtie
- Central Hub: The Bowtie diagram visualises a single "Critical Risk Assessment" (MUE) at its centre (the "knot").
- Navigate to Records: Click on any element (MUE, Cause, Preventative Control, Mitigating Control, Consequence) on the diagram to open its underlying record for viewing or editing.
- Build/Modify:
- Manually Add: You can add new Causes, Controls, or Consequences directly to the diagram. This action will prompt you to create the corresponding backend record.
- Use AI Assist (see below): The Bowtie AI Wizard can help generate a comprehensive starting point.
- Dynamic Visuals: The Bowtie diagram changes based on the status of its components. For example, if a Control's status becomes "Not Effective," it might turn red on the Bowtie, and the central MUE might also change colour to indicate "Control Issues."
Bowtie AI Features: Speeding Up Analysis
The Bowtie AI can help create and refine Bowtie diagrams.
1. Bowtie AI Wizard: Building New Bowties
This helps generate a new Bowtie from a topic or hazard.
- Process:
- Start the AI Wizard and provide a topic (e.g., "working at height").
- The AI suggests potential hazards and unwanted events. Select the MUE you want to analyse.
- The AI drafts a Bowtie with potential Causes, Preventative Controls, Mitigating Controls, and Consequences.
- Review and Refine: This AI draft does not create backend records yet. You and your team should add, remove, or edit elements on the diagram.
- Create Backend Records: Once satisfied, click to create the MUE, Cause, Control, and Consequence records.
- Populate Details: Click each element to open its record and add necessary details (owner, performance standards for critical controls, etc.).
2. Bowtie AI Analysis: Critiquing Existing Bowties
For existing Bowties, this AI feature suggests improvements.
- Process:
- Open an existing Bowtie and run AI Analysis.
- The AI provides suggestions (e.g., additional controls, potential missed causes/consequences).
- Review these suggestions and manually add any valid elements to your Bowtie, which will then create the backend records.
Important: AI is an Assistant
- AI accelerates the process but doesn't replace human expertise or critical thinking.
- Always verify AI output.
- Involve your team, including frontline workers, to ensure accuracy and completeness.
How Bowties Reflect Your Data
The diagram visually links:
- Knot (Centre): The "Critical Risk Assessment" record.
- Left Side: "Cause" records and "Preventative Controls."
- Right Side: "Consequence" records and "Mitigating Controls." The status of these underlying records (e.g., Control "Not Effective") drives the visual updates on the Bowtie, giving an immediate overview of risk status.
Version: 1
Defining Your Critical Risks (MUEs) and Controls
Guides users on how to document Material Unwanted Events (MUEs) and their associated preventative and mitigative controls, including performance standards for critical controls.
Verifying Controls and Leveraging Automation
Details how critical control effectiveness is verified (often using custom forms in the Inspections & Audits module), how outcomes are processed in CCM, and the role of automation.