Introduction
The Risk Management Plan template provided below can be downloaded by clicking on one of the icons above. This Risk Management Plan template is free for you to edit and use as you see fit. Project risk management is part science and part art, this template is a great tool to get you started in managing your project’s risks. Be sure to sign up for our Newsletter to ensure you receive announcements about new project management templates.
Top Three Risks
It is important to explicitly state the top three risks to the project in the Risk Management Plan. This will make management aware of the top risks for the project and the nature of the risks.
Risk Management Approach
This section of the Risk Management Plan provides a general description for the approach taken to identify and manage the risks associated with the project. It should be a short paragraph or two summarizing the approach to risk management on this project.
Risk Identification
Here the Risk Management Plan explains the process by which the risks associated with this project were identified. It should describe the method(s) for how the project team identified risks, the format in which risks are recorded, and the forum in which this process was conducted. Typical methods of identifying risks are expert interview, review historical information from similar projects and conducting a risk assessment meeting with the project team and key stakeholders.
Risk Qualification and Prioritisation
Once risks are identified it is important to determine the probability and impact of each risk in order to allow the project manager to prioritize the risk avoidance and mitigation strategy. Risks which are more likely to occur and have a significant impact on the project will be the highest priority risks while those which are more unlikely or have a low impact will be a much lower priority. This is usually done with a probability – impact matrix. This section explains risks were qualified and prioritized for this project.
Risk Monitoring
This section of the Risk Management Plan template should discuss how the risks in the project will be actively monitored. One effective way to monitor project risks is to add those risks with the highest scores to the project schedule with an assigned risk manager. This allows the project manager to see when these risks need to be monitored more closely and when to expect the risk manager to provide status updates at the bi-weekly project team meetings. The key to risk monitoring is to ensure that it is continuous throughout the life of the project and includes the identification of trigger conditions for each risk and thorough documentation of the process.
Risk Mitigation and Avoidance
Once risks have been qualified, the team must determine how to address those risks which have the greatest potential probability and impact on the project. This section of the Risk Management Plan explains the considerations which must be made and the options available to the project manager in managing these risks.
Risk Register
Every project must maintain a risk register in order to track risks and associated mitigation strategies. This section describes the risk register criteria as well as where the risk register is maintained and how these risks are tracked in the project schedule.
Key Terms:
Risk: The risk stated in a complete sentence which states the cause of the risk, the risk, and the effect that the risk causes to the project.
Risk Category: Categorization of risks by area of project affected, source of risk or other useful category.
Probability: The likelihood that a risk or opportunity will occur (on a scale from 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest).
Impact: The impact of the risk on the project if the risk occurs (scale from 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest).
Risk Score: Determined by multiplying probability and impact (scale from 0 to 100).
Risk Ranking: A priority list which is determined by the relative ranking of the risks (by their scores) within the project with the number one being the highest risk score.
Risk Response: The action which is to be taken if this risk occurs.
Trigger: Something which indicates that a risk is about to occur or has already occured.
Risk Owner: The person who the project manager assigns to watch for triggers, and manage the risk response if the risk occurs.
Risk Category: Categorization of risks by area of project affected, source of risk or other useful category.
Probability: The likelihood that a risk or opportunity will occur (on a scale from 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest).
Impact: The impact of the risk on the project if the risk occurs (scale from 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest).
Risk Score: Determined by multiplying probability and impact (scale from 0 to 100).
Risk Ranking: A priority list which is determined by the relative ranking of the risks (by their scores) within the project with the number one being the highest risk score.
Risk Response: The action which is to be taken if this risk occurs.
Trigger: Something which indicates that a risk is about to occur or has already occured.
Risk Owner: The person who the project manager assigns to watch for triggers, and manage the risk response if the risk occurs.