The use of current environment standards for lightning specifications may result in overdesign of protections with respect to the real operational risk. In order to reduce cost, an approach of cost-effectiveness tradeoff of protections has been defined.
A relation between cost and specification fidelity can be established (tailored severity as a combination of intensity, total charge and duration). A significant cost evolution is observed when a high level of fidelity (i.e. of risk coverage) is required.
That makes it possible to define the true and effective need, which, at the very beginning of the program, results in decreasing and therefore better controlling the costs of studies and development.