Patent ID: 7412632

Claim:
A computer-implemented method to facilitate failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) of one or more components of a system, wherein an FMEA form is generated to indicate the FMEA, the method comprising: displaying with a graphical user interface used by a computer a sequential order of completion of steps for a number of graphical representations which are to be completed by an FMEA analyst and received by the graphical user interface in sequential order to facilitate generating the FMEA form; receiving the graphical representations according to the sequential order of completion, wherein receiving the graphical representations comprises receiving a pictorial diagram of component interactions for one or more components comprising the system such that a visual display of the component interactions is received to facilitate generating the FMEA form, and wherein a first graphical representation is received and each subsequently received graphical representation is completed based in part upon the visual display provided by the first graphical representation such that each graphical representation builds upon the first graphical representation to facilitate generating the FMEA form; wherein receiving the first graphical representation comprises receiving a boundary diagram to pictorially diagram the component interactions of the components comprising the system such that the boundary diagram facilitates generating the FMEA form, wherein the boundary diagram identifies physical and non-physical interactions between the components comprising the system; receiving textual inputs naming each one of the components comprising the system and graphically displaying the names with an interaction of the components, wherein the interaction is graphically displayed by drawing an interaction line between each component to pictorially diagram the system interactions; and indicating the interaction line with double arrows to indicate a physical interface and a single arrow to indicate non-physical interaction, wherein each non-physical interaction includes a textual description.