BowTie Pro

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Methodology

Introduction

BowTie elements

Creating a Simple Bowtie

Safety Risk Priorities

Creating a Simple Bowtie

Your organisation may already have established processes for identifying safety risks, including:

  • Data monitoring and trend analysis
  • Safety reporting systems
  • Quality Management Systems (QMS)
  • Internal audits
  • Regulatory audit findings
  • Knowledge from front-line staff
  • Information shared through industry groups and forums

The challenge is determining where action will have the greatest impact and which risks should be prioritised. Consider whether safety events are recurring and forming identifiable trends. Are those trends increasing and therefore requiring closer examination? Alternatively, has the organisation experienced unusual or high-impact events that require deeper understanding of the scenario and its context?

It is also important to review management of change processes and identify areas of concern that may require closer scrutiny.

Once you have identified the risk scenario to be analysed, the next step is deciding how to gather the most accurate and valuable content. Developing the core bowtie elements within a structured workshop setting allows the model to take shape collaboratively and logically.

Getting the Best Content for a Bowtie Model

Experience consistently shows that the most effective way to build a bowtie is through a facilitated workshop. As with any risk assessment, involving the right subject matter experts (SMEs) is essential to ensure the model reflects how work is actually carried out — not merely how it is described in procedures.

For example, when assessing the risk of a major IT outage, it is insufficient to involve only the IT team. Operations personnel, cyber security specialists and business continuity leads will each identify different threats and controls. Similarly, in a manufacturing environment, maintenance engineers, supervisors and front-line operators will contribute valuable — and often differing — perspectives on machinery safety.

Why involve multiple stakeholders?
  • More complete understanding of risk – Different teams recognise different failure points.
  • Clearer roles and responsibilities – Workshops help define ownership of controls.
  • Identification of risk transfer – Changes in one area may unintentionally increase risk elsewhere.
  • Focus on the most effective controls – The strongest barriers may sit outside the immediate team.

An experienced bowtie facilitator plays a critical role in structuring discussion, challenging assumptions, and translating expert input into a clear and consistent model.

Practical Steps in a Bowtie Risk Assessment

  1. Appoint a project lead (typically the facilitator).
  2. Define the scope and review relevant existing information.
  3. Draft initial hazard and top event statements.
  4. Identify and invite the appropriate subject matter experts.
  5. Conduct the facilitated workshop, working systematically through the core bowtie elements.
  6. Add further analysis where required (for example, control effectiveness or criticality assessment).
  7. Validate the completed model in a follow-up review session.
  8. Communicate the outcomes and integrate the findings into the organisation’s risk management processes.

When developed collaboratively, a bowtie provides a shared, practical and transparent understanding of risk — enabling more informed decision-making and more effective safety management.