q Assist in selecting design alternatives with high reliability and
high safety potential during the early design phases
q Ensure that all conceivable failure modes and their effects on
operational success of the system have been considered
q List potential failures and identify the severity of their effects
q Develop early criteria for test planning and requirements for
test equipment
q Provide historical documentation for future reference to aid in
analysis of field failures and consideration of design changes
q Provide a basis for maintenance planning
q Provide a basis for quantitative reliability and availability
analyses