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Leading indicators - AWS Prescriptive Guidance
Risk identification metricsProcess adoption metricsRisk mitigation metrics

Leading indicators

Leading indicators tell you whether teams are adopting the methodology and acting on what they find. These metrics give you early signals to course-correct before gaps show up in production.

Risk identification metrics

These metrics track whether teams are finding risks consistently and with sufficient coverage across their sprint work.

Risk discovery rate

  • Definition: Number of potential failure modes identified per sprint

  • Target: Minimum 3-5 risks per sprint for applications using multiple AWS services

  • Measurement: Count of documented risks in FMEA register per sprint

  • Frequency: Weekly tracking, monthly reporting

Risk coverage ratio

  • Definition: Percentage of user stories that receive risk assessment

  • Target: 100% for stories involving AWS services or external integrations

  • Calculation: (Stories with FMEA analysis / Total stories requiring analysis) × 100

  • Frequency: Sprint-level tracking

High-risk item identification

  • Definition: Number of critical risks (RPN > 400) identified per month

  • Target: Varies by application complexity, establish baseline

  • Measurement: Count of risks with RPN > 400 in monthly period

  • Frequency: Monthly tracking and trending

Process adoption metrics

These metrics measure how broadly and efficiently teams are integrating FMEA into their sprint workflows.

Team participation rate

  • Definition: Percentage of development teams actively using FMEA process

  • Target: 100% of teams within 6 weeks of rollout

  • Calculation: (Teams using FMEA / Total development teams) × 100

  • Frequency: Weekly tracking during rollout, monthly thereafter

Sprint planning integration success

  • Definition: Percentage of sprint planning sessions that include FMEA analysis

  • Target: 100% for teams that have completed training

  • Measurement: Count of sprint planning sessions with documented FMEA activities

  • Frequency: Sprint-level tracking

Process efficiency

  • Definition: Average time spent on FMEA activities per sprint

  • Target: Less than 45 minutes of additional time in sprint planning

  • Measurement: Time tracking during FMEA activities

  • Frequency: Sprint-level measurement, monthly trending

Risk mitigation metrics

These metrics track whether identified risks are being addressed on time and whether the mitigations are actually reducing RPN scores.

Mitigation implementation rate

  • Definition: Percentage of identified risks with implemented mitigations

  • Target: 100% for RPN > 400, 85% for RPN 200-399

  • Calculation: (Risks with completed mitigations / Total identified risks) × 100

  • Frequency: Sprint-level tracking, monthly reporting

Mitigation completion timeliness

  • Definition: Percentage of mitigations completed within planned timeframe

  • Target: 90% completion within committed sprint

  • Calculation: (On-time completions / Total planned mitigations) × 100

  • Frequency: Sprint-level tracking

Risk reduction effectiveness

  • Definition: Average RPN reduction after mitigation implementation

  • Target: Minimum 50% reduction for high-priority risks

  • Calculation: ((Original RPN - Post-mitigation RPN) / Original RPN) × 100

  • Frequency: Monthly assessment of completed mitigations