Tniveau

Tniveau is a standardized scalar metric used to classify the complexity, risk, and readiness of technical tasks or components within a development project. The name blends the letter T with the French word niveau, meaning level, to signal a tiered assessment used across engineering, information technology, and manufacturing contexts.

Definition and measurement. Tniveau integrates three dimensions: technical difficulty (how hard the task would be to implement), operational complexity (the number of dependencies and coordination required), and impact severity (the potential consequences if the task fails). Each dimension is rated on a 1-to-5 scale, and the overall Tniveau level is computed as the ceiling of the average of the three scores. The scale runs from 1 for basic, low-risk work to 5 for tasks with high risk or critical impact.

Level descriptions. Level 1 describes basic tasks with minimal risk and limited integration needs. Level 2 covers simple tasks with few dependencies. Level 3 denotes moderate tasks with several dependencies and balanced risk. Level 4 indicates high-complexity work with multiple interfaces and notable risk, often requiring formal planning and validation. Level 5 marks critical tasks with safety implications or major integration challenges, typically requiring structured reviews and oversight.

Origins and usage. The concept has emerged in professional practice as a lightweight planning aid to prioritize testing, allocate resources, and communicate risk across teams. It is designed to complement formal risk assessment and quality frameworks rather than replace them, and it is commonly used alongside risk matrices and gating criteria in project management.

Example. A software module that handles real-time data with external API dependencies and data sensitivity might score D=4, O=3, and I=4, yielding Tniveau = ceil((4+3+4)/3) = ceil(11/3) = 4.