CREAM (Cognitive Reliability Error Analysis Method) is a human reliability analysis technique developed by Erik Hollnagel. It is a bi-directional analysis method, meant to be used for both performance prediction and accident analysis. Unlike first generation error analysis methods like THERP, CREAM represents a second generation tool allowing for better analysis by abandoning the hierarchical structure of previous methods and providing better separation between objective and subjective error.CREAM is a technique used in the field of human reliability assessment (HRA), for the purposes of evaluating the probability of a human error occurring throughout the completion of a specific task. From such analyses measures can then be taken to reduce the likelihood of errors occurring within a system and therefore lead to an improvement in the overall levels of safety. There exist three primary reasons for conducting an HRA; error identification, error quantification and error reduction. As there exist a number of techniques used for such purposes, they can be split into one of two classifications; first generation techniques and second generation techniques. First generation techniques work on the basis of the simple dichotomy of ‘fits/doesn’t fit’ in the matching of the error situation in context with related error identification and quantification and second generation techniques are more theory based in their assessment and quantification of errors. HRA techniques have been utilised in a range of industries including healthcare, engineering, nuclear, transportation and business sector; each technique has varying uses within different disciplines.CREAM is a second generation HRA method. However compared to many other such methods, it takes a very different approach to modelling human reliability. There are two versions of the technique, the basic and the extended version, both of which have in common two primary features; ability to identify the importance of human performance in a given context and a helpful cognitive model and associated framework, usable for both prospective and retrospective analysis. Prospective analysis allows likely human errors to be identified while retrospective analysis quantifies errors that have already occurred.The concept of cognition is included in the model through use of four basic ‘control modes’ which identify differing levels of control that an operator has in a given context and the characteristics which highlight the occurrence of distinct conditions. The control modes which may occur are as follows:The particular control mode determines the level of reliability that can be expected in a particular setting and this is in turn determined by the collective characteristics of the relevant Common Performance Conditions (CPCs).