CAIO includes a  module that explores the internal and external influences on the firm that are likely to be faced by a critical asset over the next three years.

This develops a consensus by key staff about which issues should be addressed in the investment regime for the asset, and when major changes should be made.  The module can then be extended to provide a more sophisticated business risk analysis that includes the participation of external technical experts or the firm’s key stakeholders.

Approximately 30 targeted questions are presented about the potential risks to the performance of the asset, be they from within the firm or from outside its sphere of control.  These pursue many of the issues canvassed in modern approaches to  business sustainability and corporate social responsibility, and utilises an abbreviated   Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis technique (MCDA).

From this, a ranking is prepared that is translated to a risk profile for the asset by linking it to the economic performance evaluation, which is run in parallel.  Together, the two modules provide a sophisticated perspective of how the asset can best be managed to respond to the  contingencies considered most likely to be experienced in the near term.