Project Risk Management Terms Flashcards
Acceptance
A risk response appropriate for both positive and
negative risks, but often used for smaller risks
within a project.
Ambiguity risks
Risks that have an uncertain, unclear nature, such
as new laws or regulations, the marketplace
conditions, and other risks that are nearly
impossible to predict.
Avoidance
A risk response to avoid the risk
Brainstorming
The most common approach to risk
identification; usually completed by a project
team with subject matter experts to identify the
risks within the project
Business risks
These risks may have negative or positive
outcomes. Examples include using a less
experienced worker to complete a task, allowing
phases or activities to overlap, or forgoing the
expense of formal training for on-the-job
education
Cardinal scales
A ranking approach to identify the probability
and impact by using a numerical value, from .01
(very low) to 1.0 (certain).
Checklists
A quick and cost-effective risk identification
approach.
Data precision
The consideration of the risk ranking scores that
takes into account any bias, the accuracy of the
data submitted, and the reliability of the nature
of the data submitted.
Decision tree
A method to determine which of two or more
decisions is the best one. The model examines
the costs and benefits of each decision’s outcome
and weighs the probability of success for each of
the decisions.
Delphi Technique
An anonymous method of querying experts about
foreseeable risks within a project, phase, or
component of a project. The results of the survey
are analyzed by a third party, organized, and then
circulated to the experts. There can be several
rounds of anonymous discussion with the Delphi
Technique, without fear of backlash or offending
other participants in the process. The goal is to
gain consensus on project risks within the
project.
Enhancing
A risk response that attempts to enhance the
conditions to ensure that a positive risk event will
likely happen.
Escalating
A risk response that is appropriate for both
positive and negative risk events that may
outside of the project manager’s authority to act
upon.
Expected monetary value (EMV)
The monetary value of a risk exposure based on
the risk’s probability and impact in the risk
matrix. This approach is typically used in
quantitative risk analysis because it quantifies the
risk exposure.
Exploit
A risk response that takes advantage of the
positive risks within a project
External risks
These risks are outside of the project, but directly
affect it—for example, legal issues, labor issues, a
shift in project priorities, or weather. “Force
majeure” risks call for disaster recovery rather
than project management. These are risks caused
by earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, civil unrest,
and other disasters.
Flowcharts
System or process flowcharts show the
relationship between components and how the
overall process works. These are useful for
identifying risks between system components.
Influence diagrams
An influence diagram charts out a decision
problem. It identifies all of the elements,
variables, decisions, and objectives and also how
each factor may influence another.
Ishikawa diagrams
These cause-and-effect diagrams are also called
fishbone diagrams and are used to find the root
cause of factors that are causing risks within the
project.
Low-priority risk watch list
Low-priority risks are identified and assigned to a
watch list for periodic monitoring.
Mitigation
A risk response effort to reduce the probability
and/or impact of an identified risk in the project.