Digital Bow-Tie

A bow-tie diagram is a visual representation of the causes, consequences, and controls surrounding a hazard. Threats or causes that increase the likelihood of the unwanted event (risk) are mapped onto prevention measures (preventative controls). Consequences of the unwanted event are mapped onto recovery measures (mitigating controls).‍

A digital bow-tie diagram integrates critical risk management aspects interactively. It visually maps controls to risks and also generates digital records of these, subject to verification workflows. Where verifications fail, potentially triggered by field investigation responses, controls are highlighted. This allows at-a-glance monitoring of risk control states.

The purpose of a digital bow-tie is therefore to alleviate the administrative burden of monitoring controls and critical controls, as part of a critical control management (CCM) strategy.