How do you calculate a launch readiness score?

Multiply the severity rating by the occurrence rating by the detection rating. In this example the composite risk score resolves to 4.55 on the tool's scale, from severity 6, occurrence 4, and detection 3.

What is a good launch readiness score?

Lower is better — it means low severity, rare occurrence, and easy detection. Set a threshold above which a risk blocks the gate; the relative ranking matters more than any single absolute value.

What's the difference between severity, occurrence, and detection?

Severity is how bad the impact is if the failure reaches the customer, occurrence is how often the cause happens, and detection is how likely your controls catch it first. High severity plus low detection is the dangerous combination.

Launch readiness score vs. RPN — are they the same?

They use the same severity x occurrence x detection logic as a classic FMEA Risk Priority Number, applied specifically to launch and ramp risks rather than a single process step.

Why does a high-severity risk still need attention if occurrence is low?

Because severity captures consequence, not frequency. A safety or recall-level failure that is rare but hard to detect can still carry the highest priority — always review high-severity items regardless of the composite.

How do I keep scores consistent across a team?

Use a documented rating scale with anchored definitions for each level and calibrate raters on a few sample risks before scoring the full launch list.

Production Ramp, Scale-Up & Launch Readiness calculator

Launch Readiness Score Calculator

The Launch Readiness Score is an FMEA-style risk number that combines how severe a launch failure would be, how likely it is to occur, and how hard it is to detect before it reaches the customer. Launch teams, quality engineers, and program managers use it to rank open risks on a new product introduction so the scarce weeks before Job 1 go to the items that matter most. It matters because ramps fail on the risks nobody prioritized — a high-severity, low-detection issue can sail through a gate review if it is not scored and surfaced. One consolidated score per risk makes triage across a launch punch list objective.

What this calculator does

Estimate launch readiness for production ramp, scale-up and launch readiness using production-ready inputs so teams can rank risks and decide which issue needs containment, controls, or escalation first.
Use it when launch readiness in production ramp, scale-up and launch readiness needs a defensible ranking against other production ramp, scale-up and launch readiness risks for the next review.
It multiplies severity, occurrence, and detection ratings into a single composite launch-risk score for prioritization.

Formula used

Launch readiness risk score = launch readiness severity score × launch readiness occurrence score × launch readiness detection score
Use the same scoring scale across comparable launch readiness risks.

Inputs explained

Launch failure severity rating:
Launch failure occurrence likelihood:
Launch defect detectability rating:

How to use the result

Use it at launch gate reviews and readiness assessments to rank open risks before committing to full-rate production.
The score is only as good as the rating scale discipline behind it — inconsistent scoring across raters makes two risks with the same number not actually comparable.

Common questions

How do you calculate a launch readiness score? Multiply the severity rating by the occurrence rating by the detection rating. In this example the composite risk score resolves to 4.55 on the tool's scale, from severity 6, occurrence 4, and detection 3.
What is a good launch readiness score? Lower is better — it means low severity, rare occurrence, and easy detection. Set a threshold above which a risk blocks the gate; the relative ranking matters more than any single absolute value.
What's the difference between severity, occurrence, and detection? Severity is how bad the impact is if the failure reaches the customer, occurrence is how often the cause happens, and detection is how likely your controls catch it first. High severity plus low detection is the dangerous combination.
Launch readiness score vs. RPN — are they the same? They use the same severity x occurrence x detection logic as a classic FMEA Risk Priority Number, applied specifically to launch and ramp risks rather than a single process step.
Why does a high-severity risk still need attention if occurrence is low? Because severity captures consequence, not frequency. A safety or recall-level failure that is rare but hard to detect can still carry the highest priority — always review high-severity items regardless of the composite.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.