riskikuvia

Riskikuvia is a term used in Finnish risk management to describe visual representations of risk. These visuals summarize the results of risk assessments and safety analyses to support communication, decision-making, and governance. Risk pictures can range from simple matrices to more complex diagrams and are used in planning, safety briefings, training, and reporting.

Common types include risk heat maps (risk matrices showing likelihood versus consequence), hazard maps that depict geographic distribution of hazards, event trees and fault trees illustrating sequences of events and failure paths, bow-tie diagrams that highlight barriers and causes, and dashboard visualizations that combine multiple indicators for quick overview. Visuals may be static or interactive and are often integrated into risk registers and project dashboards.

Development of riskikuvia typically involves defining risk criteria and scoring scales, collecting or estimating probabilities and impacts, mapping results to visuals, and validating designs with stakeholders. Best practices emphasize clear legends, consistent color coding (for example, low/medium/high risk), and providing necessary context such as time horizon and assumptions. Accessibility considerations, such as text alternatives and readable color contrasts, are also important. Visuals should be kept up to date as new data and assessments become available.

Benefits of riskikuvia include improved understanding of risk exposure, enhanced prioritization of mitigation actions, and better stakeholder communication. Limitations include the risk of oversimplifying complex interactions, dependence on data quality, and potential misinterpretation if visuals are poorly designed. In practice, riskikuvia align with general risk management concepts and standards, such as ISO 31000, and serve as a bridge between analytical results and strategic decisions. Related topics include risk assessment, risk communication, and data visualization.