kansimpactmatrix

KansImpactMatrix is a decision-support tool used in risk assessment to categorize and prioritize potential events by their probability and impact. The term appears in some risk-management literature as a variant of the traditional risk matrix and is sometimes described as incorporating a weighting scheme denoted by the acronym KANS. The exact meaning of KANS varies by organization and is not universally standardized.

Structure and use. The core is a two-dimensional grid with likelihood on one axis and impact on the other. Each cell corresponds to a risk level, typically ranging from negligible to extreme. In practice, practitioners may extend the model with additional dimensions such as time-to-impact, reversibility, detectability, or controllability, allowing finer prioritization. A KANS weighting vector may be applied to adjust the influence of criteria chosen by the organization; common interpretations assign higher weight to factors like detectability or criticality depending on the domain.

Applications. KansImpactMatrix is used across fields such as project management, safety engineering, cybersecurity, and public policy to inform resource allocation, mitigation planning, and response coordination. It supports both qualitative assessments (scores assigned by experts) and quantitative scoring (numeric scales, normalized scores, and aggregation).

Limitations and relation. As a variant of risk matrices, KansImpactMatrix shares common limitations, including sensitivity to scoring, potential oversimplification of complex risk interactions, and the risk of misinterpretation if scales are inconsistent. It is typically employed alongside other analytical tools like fault trees, scenario analysis, or Monte Carlo simulations to provide a more comprehensive risk picture.