Comparisons with Traditional Programmatic Risk Analysis Techniques

5 Comparisons with Traditional Programmatic Risk Analysis Techniques 

The traditional risk analysis performed by NASA on ITA identified about one hundred risks. The more rigorous, structured STAMP-based analysis—done independently and without any knowledge of the results of the NASA process-identified about 250 risks, all the risks identified by NASA plus additional ones. A small part of the difference was related to the consideration by the STAMP group of more components in the safety control structure, such as the NASA administrator. Congress, and the Executive Branch (White House). There is no way to determine whether the other additional risks identified by the STAMP-based process were simply missed in the NASA analysis or were discarded for some reason. 

The NASA analysis did not include a causal analysis of the risks and thus no comparison is possible. Their goal was to determine what should be included in the upcoming ITA risk assessment process and thus was narrower than the STAMP demonstration risk analysis effort. 

7 Reengineering a Sociotechnicai System Pharmaceutical Safety and the Vioxx Tragedy 

The previous section describes the use of STPA on the management structure of an organization that develops and operates high-tech systems. STPA and other types of analysis are potentially also applicable to social systems. This section provides an example using pharmaceutical safety. 

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