Visualising and Analysing Risks with Bowtie Diagrams

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:
  1. Start the AI Wizard and provide a topic (e.g., "working at height").
  2. The AI suggests potential hazards and unwanted events. Select the MUE you want to analyse.
  3. The AI drafts a Bowtie with potential Causes, Preventative Controls, Mitigating Controls, and Consequences.
  4. 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.
  5. Create Backend Records: Once satisfied, click to create the MUE, Cause, Control, and Consequence records.
  6. 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:
  1. Open an existing Bowtie and run AI Analysis.
  2. The AI provides suggestions (e.g., additional controls, potential missed causes/consequences).
  3. 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.