Skip to content

Definitions and related concepts

Lets retake the previous definition of vulnerability: “The degree to which a system is likely to experience harm due to exposure to a hazard, either an exogenous perturbation or an endogenous stress or stressor” (Turner et al. 2003, p. 8074). From this definition, we will highlight three things that we need to consider to work out a method or at least to see how the Vulnerability Assessment method evolved:

  • Vulnerability: the degree to which a system is likely to experience harm. A system experience harm when it not able to deliver or provide the required system services.
  • Stressors: Exposure to a hazard. It can be external or internal, and need to be clearly defined.
  • System services: main functions or services that the system provide.

Bringing the previous concepts together, to assess the vulnerability of a system we need to consider the system services and the stressors.

System services

Have a look at the video, where Herena Torio explain system services.

Video: System Services

Stressors and the Vulnerability Assessment method

Vulnerability assessment diagram

After watching the video, can you place the diagram elements in the right place?