The NOVA PATH WAy
OUR CORE PRINCIPLES
1
Outcomes over process.
We don't measure success by the thickness of a report or the number of boxes checked. We measure it by whether your operations are actually safer and more resilient. We cut through the noise to focus on the major, catastrophic risks that matter most.
2
Grounded in Reality.
A plan is only as good as the people executing it. Everything we design, build, and implement is grounded in the reality of how your teams actually work. We ensure the right information gets into the hands of the people making the critical judgment calls in the field.
3
Effectiveness over Presence.
Having a controls and systems in place means nothing if they don't work when you need them. We don't just help you build barriers; we teach you how to test them, assure them, and trust them. We care about the effectiveness of your controls, not just their presence.
Everybody manages risk. Some risks just mean more. Sometimes it's because they are high consequence, sometimes because the problems are irreversible - or many times - both. Our only desire is to show organizations that they can challenge the effectiveness of their current risk management programs and still maintain compliance with leaner programs and operating systems that have better effectiveness.
The Three TIer Model
Our approach is built on a three-way dependency that strengthens your entire operation.
Leadership - Setting the tone, defining the strategy, and creating the culture that makes risk management possible.
Risk Management - Identifying the material risks and applying Bowtie methodology to build intelligent barriers.
Investigations and Assurance - Testing control effectiveness and using ICAM incident investigations blended with bowtie to work backwards—turning failures into systemic learning and prevention.
Barrier Intelligence
Barrier Intelligence: The Integration is the Innovation
Some firms do Bowties. Some firms do ICAM investigations. Very few blend the thinking, and even fewer approach control effectiveness the way we do. That integration is the foundation of Barrier Intelligence.
Most organizations treat risk assessment and incident investigation as two separate disciplines — one looks forward, the other looks backward. Barrier Intelligence connects them into a single, continuous loop. We use Bowtie as a living operational tool, not a static document. When an incident occurs, we use ICAM to work backwards through the Bowtie, identifying exactly which barriers failed and what made them less effective. This means every investigation directly sharpens the controls that prevent the next incident — moving your organization from simply learning about risks to actively protecting against them.
The Firm
We sit squarely between the "blue suit" consultants who only write strategy and the "steel toe" contractors who only execute. We do both.
With decades of experience applying these tools at the highest levels of industry, we help you draft the strategy, build the roadmap, and step in to help you execute it.
We bring common sense to complex risks.
We bring deep experience in SEMS (Safety and Environmental Management Systems), API RP 75 & 76, COS Guidelines, IOGP, ISO 31000, ANSI Z10 and international standards.