Extending the Student Qualitative Undertaking Involvement Risk Model

ABSTRACT: The Student Qualitative Undertaking Involvement Risk Model (SQUIRM) was designed to facilitate the determination of the impact of using student (or inexperienced) workers, on a project. The model identifies several prospective categories of risk. It, then, discusses the risk potential and source and provides a limited consideration of how to mitigate this risk. The risk sources considered included those specific to student (inexperienced worker) involvement, standard risks and standard risk sources which are enhanced by the use of student (inexperienced) workers. This paper presents a qualitative assessment framework and begins the process of quantifying the model. The difference between the use of students (in an academic or industrial setting) versus inexperienced workers is also considered. The base model is presented and extended by further tracing the risk sources back, using root cause analysis techniques. The application of the base and extended models to various projects is discussed. Considerations in choosing which model to use for a given application are also presented. The paper concludes by presenting a value model for considering student (inexperienced worker) involvement benefits versus associated risks, and the differences in the risk reward ratio between academic, internship and junior worker scenarios.