Definition:
Concept Number: *036
English Master: Critical Factor
Synonyms, Variations & Acronyms: none
Detailing
A Critical-Failure-Factor is usually specified as a Constraint Level (for example a “Fail” or “Survival” Level), or as a Binary Constraint (“Constraint”).
A Critical-Success-Factor is usually specified as a target Level (a “Goal” or “Budget” Level), or as a Binary target. (“Target”).
Illustrations
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Type
Classification Concept
Examples
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Notes
1. System or Component failure might occur, possibly only under certain “extreme” Conditions. These “critical” Conditions should be explicitly specified by some of the Means available such as: {State, Condition, [qualifiers], Risk, Dependency, Impacts, Impacted-By, Assumption, Authority, Source, and Value-Decision specification Terminology, such as Credibility, Safety-Factor and others}.
2. A critical failure Level of performance is usually defined by a Tolerable or Survival Level specification with numeric Level and relevant [qualifiers]. Each such Level must be achieved or improved upon, otherwise critical breakdown, and official failure of the entire System, threatens to occur. Of course, reality might turn out to be different, either way!
3. Constraints (example: legal Requirements or architectural Requirements), for a Product, are also generally “critical”. If they are not satisfied they might well cause failure somewhere, sometime, under given circumstances.
Keyed-Icons
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Drawn-Icons
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Related-Concepts
Critical-Success-Factor
Critical-Failure-Factor
History-of-Concept
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This Concept entered by Diane O'Brien.