Fault Tree Analysis in Projects

Abstract:

Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) is a tool to analyse the risks that are associated with various projects. The goal is to identify different risks that can occur in a given project. The Fault Tree consists of a top event, which then branches out to lower levels that will lead up to the upper events. The Fault Tree is visualized by "gates", that are derived from Boolean logic symbols.

In risk management and project management, FTA has served as a great tool for assessing the different problems that might occur during the project process. Some academics have also applied the FTA to the general aspect of projects themselves to identify what causes a project to be delayed (see "Fault Tree Analysis for Investigation on the Causes of Project Problems" by Silvianita). By applying theories such as Minimal Cut Set, the Fault Tree Analysis will be able to reveal some high probability risks to projects that might otherwise have gone unnoticed which could cause severe problems later in the project.

The FTA can have big applications in project management and also deals in many other categories, such as risk management, uncertainty, and systems engineering.