What is the relationship between priority and severity in incident management?

The relationship between priority and severity in incident management is best understood through the lens of how these terms are defined and applied in practice. Priority refers to the urgency with which an incident needs to be addressed, while severity refers to the impact the incident has on the organization.

When we say that priority is often based on severity, we recognize that the more severe an incident is—the greater its potential impact on systems, services, or data—the higher its priority for resolution tends to be. For example, a critical incident that compromises confidential data will typically be prioritized for immediate action due to its severe implications, such as potential data breaches or legal consequences. This priority-setting helps organizations allocate resources effectively and respond in a timely manner.

Understanding this distinction is crucial for effective incident response, as it helps teams decide which incidents to address first based on their potential risk and fallout. Severity informs the significance of the incident, while priority dictates the response timeline.

The other options misrepresent the relationship between these concepts. Identifying them as identical concepts overlooks the nuance between urgency and impact. Stating that severity dictates occurrence implies that only severe incidents can happen, which is inaccurate. Lastly, claiming that priority must always exceed severity does not align with how prioritization is typically structured, as