Loading... Please wait...

Register for BLOG

Stay on top and comment on the latest TOPtm ideas, views and occasional rants - REGISTER NOW



Understanding project risks

Although an integral element of project management for many years, risk management is still done poorly and is poorly understood. The quality of risk management appears to be reliant on the skills and aptitude of the individual project manager - this is not good enough.

This Guide spells out the different types of risk to be considered and, importantly, builds risk management into the project delivery process rather than being a ‘side-show’.

This Guide enables everyone to be on the same page as to their understanding of project risk.
Image 1
$9.95
(excluding tax)

Single User License

Immediate Download


Preview guide


PurposeContentsWho Should ReadBenefitsKISS/TrainingRecommended Guides

A $10m project with just three risks is ridiculous. Similarly, a $10m project with over 380 risks is just stupid. ‘Risks’ are threats to the successful delivery of the project and its benefits and come in all shapes and sizes.

This Guide separates out eight types of risk, including...

  • project-specific risks
  • delivery risks
  • business impact risks
  • critical success factors
  • leading indicators of failure
  • and more.

It uses the concept of ‘systemic’ risks that need to be considered by every project

It discusses the ‘swiss-cheese’ syndrome that can undo any project

It refocuses risk management onto value protection.

All of these risk types exist and need to be identified, classified and managed. This Guide provides you with an easily understandable basis for risk management. 

Far more sophisticated approaches to risk management exist, but this approach has been proven to be effective across major projects and programs.

Understanding project risks
  1. Understanding project risks
  2. Understanding project risk management
  3. Understanding systemic project delivery risks
  4. Understanding systemic business impact risks
  5. Understanding project-specific risks
  6. Understanding the nature of risks
  7. Understanding different approaches to risk
  8. Understanding critical success factors
  9. Understanding design risks
  10. Understanding corporate profile risks
  11. Understanding the leading indicators of failure
  12. Understanding the ‘swiss-cheese’ syndrome risk
  • Project teams - to help them simply understand a topic that can become complex or poorly done
  • PPMOs - to enable them to understand and manage the portfolio’s risks
  • Governance teams - to understand the different nature of risks they are dealing with and governing
  • Boards and Executives - to be aware of the scale and nature of project related risks
  • Auditors - to understand the nature and types of project risks involved
  • Project Investment Committees - to understand the threats to each project’s value
  • Risk Management Officers - to understand the nature of project risks
  • Enables you to cull unnecessary effort and cost on risks
  • Enables you to focus your risk management energies where they will have the most impact
  • Ensures you don’t forget some of the less obvious risks
  • Makes you aware of the impact of the different risks and their dynamics
  • Gives you a basis for a common, business and value based approach to project risk management
  • Helps you ensure your project does not fail due to unforeseen or unmanaged risks

Coming soon