10 2 Identify Risks
10.2 Identify Risks Explained
Identify Risks is a critical process in project management that involves recognizing potential risks that could impact the project's success. This process ensures that the project team is aware of potential threats and opportunities, allowing them to plan and prepare accordingly. Here, we will delve into three key concepts of Identify Risks: Risk Sources, Risk Breakdown Structure, and Risk Register.
1. Risk Sources
Risk Sources refer to the origins or causes of potential risks that could affect the project. These sources can be internal or external to the project and can include factors such as budget constraints, resource availability, technological changes, regulatory requirements, and stakeholder expectations. Identifying risk sources helps in understanding the root causes of potential issues and in developing targeted mitigation strategies.
Example: For a software development project, risk sources might include rapidly changing technology (external), team member turnover (internal), and regulatory compliance requirements (external). By identifying these sources, the project manager can anticipate potential challenges and plan for them.
2. Risk Breakdown Structure
The Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS) is a hierarchical representation of the risks organized by category and type. The RBS helps in visualizing and managing the project's risks by categorizing them into groups such as technical risks, external risks, organizational risks, and project management risks. This structure provides a clear overview of the risks at different levels of the project hierarchy.
Example: In a construction project, the RBS might categorize risks into technical risks (e.g., design flaws, material defects), external risks (e.g., weather delays, regulatory changes), organizational risks (e.g., budget overruns, resource shortages), and project management risks (e.g., poor planning, communication breakdowns). The RBS helps in organizing and managing these risks efficiently.
3. Risk Register
The Risk Register is a document that records all the identified risks, their characteristics, and the actions planned to manage them. The risk register includes details such as the risk description, probability of occurrence, potential impact, responsible person, and mitigation strategies. Maintaining a risk register helps in tracking and managing risks throughout the project lifecycle.
Example: For a marketing campaign, the risk register might include risks such as low engagement rates (risk description), medium probability (probability of occurrence), high impact (potential impact), and the marketing team leader as the responsible person. The mitigation strategy might involve adjusting the campaign content and timing. The risk register ensures that all identified risks are documented and managed effectively.