ABSTRACT
Once have identified potential problems, failure modes, and effects, and then prioritized them according to total risk factor values are now ready to look for potential reasons that could cause the potential problem to actually materialize. The same tools that are used to develop potential causes for existing problems can be used to cultivate a list of potential causes for potential problems. We have brainstormed and created a list of potential effects and causes of failure. How do we know which potential cause of failure is the most likely to occur? Some of the potential problem causes can be eliminated through discussion, but invariably we will still be left with a short list. The difference between selecting the most probable cause of an existing problem compared to a potential problem that might occur sometime in the future is ability to perform tests to rule out a potential problem.
