Standards Development

Scope

This document provides guidance for identifying and analysing risk associated with change of systems. It supports the risk analysis process based on ISO 31000 and IEC 31010 to accommodate the characteristics of open systems as described in IEC 62853.

This document is applicable to systems to which ISO 31000 is applicable.

Purpose

Open systems are large, complex and interconnected. Their boundaries cannot be defgined. For open systems their functions, objectives, and boundaries change over time. The environment surrounding the systems also changes over time. The systems can be adapted to changes. Their purpose, objectives, environment and actual performance are not determined and change through their lives. Changes have positive, negative or both effects on the systems. Any changes can be a risk source and bring the catastrophic failures of the systems. Unpredictable changes of user requirements, service objectives, services received via network, black box components, technological basis, etc., are commonplace. Risk analysis is a key issue to managing risks asscoated with unpredictable changes. It is a process for understanding and analysing risk. Risk analysis of open systems requires dynamic analysis process since the system always changes. IEC 31010 provides guidance for assessing dynamic risk. However, it does not suit to open systems because of limitations of techniques for analysing dynamic risk.