Inserting a Risk Matrix Definition
When the Project’s FMEA Risk Matrix file is open, you can view and insert risk matrix definitions.
1. If the FMEA Risk Matrix file is not already open, then open it.
2. If you want to insert a definition, do the following:
a. In the upper pane, click Insert. The Add Risk Matrix Definition window opens.
b. For Name, enter a descriptive name to assign to the definition.
When you leave this field, the Code field is automatically populated based on the text string that you entered for the name. For more information, see Codes.
c. If desired, modify the code.
d. Click OK. The definition is inserted. The Configure Risk Matrix window opens. Go to step 4.
3. If you want to modify an existing definition, do the following:
a. In the upper pane, select the definition.
b. In the lower pane, click the Configure Risk Matrix link. The Configure Risk Matrix window opens.
 |
On the multiple pages in the Configure Risk Matrix window, selections for data fields are limited to fields tied to lists. Only fields defined in the Project’s FMEA Design file are shown. Fields selected for axes and the risk level should be unique.
|
4. On the X-Axis page, do the following:
a. For Data field, select the FMEA Worksheet field to use for the X-axis.
The default is Severity if possible. Otherwise, the default is the first field tied to a list. Choice list, which is display-only, shows the list tied to the selected field.
b. For Label location, select Top or Bottom (default) to indicate the location of the label for the X-axis.
c. For Label order, select Ascending (default) or Descending to indicate how to order list items by their values on the X-axis.
When Ascending is selected, list items are shown in order of their values from smallest on the left to largest on the right.
When Descending is selected, list items are shown in order of their values from largest on the left to smallest on the right.
If there are no values or duplicate values, list items are shown in the order in which they are appear in the List Library file.
5. On the Y-Axis page, do the following:
a. For Data field, select the FMEA Worksheet field to use for the Y-axis.
The default is Occurrence if possible. Otherwise, the default is the first field tied to a list. Choice list, which is display-only, shows the list tied to the selected field.
b. For Label location, select Left (default) or Right to indicate the location of the label for the Y-axis.
c. For Label order, select Ascending or Descending (default) to indicate how to order list items by their values on the Y-axis.
When Ascending is selected, list items are shown in order of their values from smallest on the top to largest on the bottom.
When Descending is selected, list items are shown in order of their values from largest on the top to smallest on the bottom.
If there are no values or duplicate values, list items are shown in the order in which they are appear in the List Library file.
6. On the Y2-Axis page, do the following if you want to define a three-dimensional matrix:
a. For Data field, select the FMEA Worksheet field to use for the Y2-axis.
The default is blank, which means that no field is selected for this axis. The other properties on this page are unavailable unless a field is selected. If you select a field, Choice list, which is display-only, shows the list tied to the selected field.
b. For Label order, select Ascending or Descending (default) to indicate how to order list items by their values on the Y2-axis.
When Ascending is selected, list items are shown in order of their values from smallest on the top to largest on the bottom.
When Descending is selected, list items are shown in order of their values from largest on the top to smallest on the bottom.
If there are no value or duplicate values, list items are shown in the order in which they appear in the List Library file. The Y2-axis is shown on the opposite side of the risk matrix as the Y-axis.
7. On the Risk Level page, for Data field, select the FMEA Worksheet field to use for the risk level.
The default is Risk Level if possible. Otherwise, the default is the first field tied to a list. Fields shared with the Problems table are excluded. Choice list, which is display-only, shows the list tied to the selected field.
The field that you select must be at the same data level or a lower data level than the fields selected for the X-axis and Y-axis. If the field for the risk level is at a higher data level, an error message is shown when you click OK.
For example, assume that your FMEA structure is item>mode>cause>effect. Now assume that your X-axis field is at the mode level and your Y-axis field is at the cause level. Given this, your field for the risk level must be at the cause or effect level.
Any field selected for the Y2-axis must be at the same data level or a lower data level than the field for the X-axis. If the field for the Y2-axis is at a higher data level, an error message is shown when you click OK.
If your FMEA structure supports causes and effects at the same data level, field selections should be from only the item, mode, and effect levels. If your FMEA structure supports multiple actions, field selections should be from only the item, mode, cause, and action levels. Otherwise, an error message is shown when you click OK.
8. When finished, click OK.
If you have modified an existing definition, a confirmation window opens. It indicates that reconfiguring your risk matrix with these new settings might result in the loss of your existing risk level settings.
◦ If you click No, you return to the Configure Risk Matrix window. You either continue to modify properties or click Cancel, which discards your changes and closes the window.
◦ If you click Yes, your changes are saved.
If the list associated with the field for the X-axis, Y-axis, or risk level is empty, a warning message is shown. If you need to make modifications, you can click the Configure Risk Matrix link to open the Configure Risk Matrix once again. The text that follows assumes that all three fields are associated with appropriate lists.
In the lower pane of the FMEA Risk Matrix file, a table for the active definition is shown beneath the Configure Risk Matrix link. A row exists for each item in the list that is tied to the risk level field. The rows are in ascending order based on item values in the List Library file. If there are no values or duplicate values, rows are shown in the order in which items are listed in the List Library file.
The first column shows display text for list items. These values are read-only. The second column displays color for risk levels. Default colors are initially assigned. However, you can change these colors.
9. If you want to change risk level colors, do the following for each color that you want to change:
a. In the row for the risk level, double-click in the Color column. The color control is shown.
b. Use the color control to specify the desired color.
10. Once the desired colors are set, specify risk levels for the cells in the risk matrix to the right:
a. Select the row for the risk level. The paintbrush icon 
is shown in the row header, indicating that you can “paint” cells in the selected color.
is shown in the row header, indicating that you can “paint” cells in the selected color.b. Click the first cell to paint and hold down the left mouse button while dragging over it and all other cells you want in this color.
c. Repeat the previous two steps until all cells have been painted with a risk color.
11. If you want to view the risk level that is stored for a cell, place the mouse cursor over the cell. A tooltip displays the risk level for this cell.
The field selected for risk level shows the risk color in the following places:
◦ In the FMEA Worksheet table and on its forms
◦ In the filter bar
◦ On FMEA reports if Show risk level color is selected in the report properties for the risk level field
You can modify the properties for the any definition in the FMEA Risk Matrix file at any time. If you change the field selected for the risk level, the table showing the list items for the risk level field is updated. This means that records might be added to or deleted. When possible, your color selections for table rows are preserved.
Each time you open a Project’s Risk Matrix file, all definitions are automatically reconciled. If desired, you can select > to manually reconcile current definitions with stored data. When you select this command, a confirmation window opens, asking if you are sure you want to reconcile choice list differences. If you click Yes, all definitions in the file are checked to ensure that field selections and lists match the data that is stored. Once the process finishes, a window opens, displaying one of two possible messages:
• If no differences are found, the message indicates that no changes were made.
• If differences are found, the message displays a list of definitions that updated because lists had changed.
You can copy a definition from a FMEA Risk Matrix file in one Project to the FMEA Risk Matrix file in another Project. All of the data associated with the definition and its settings are copied. You cannot copy the FMEA Risk Matrix file into the Common Library. Additionally, you cannot report on a FMEA Risk Matrix file.
| | If the FMEA Risk Matrix file is read-only, you cannot make changes. This includes modifying definitions, colors, and risk matrix settings. |