Group s for Risk Identification A team's prior experience, many times documented in historical records, is also a source for identification of project risks. Consider using various group techniques to help the team identify the project risks. The table below provides descriptions and how-to techniques for a variety of group situations.
Description Process Brainstorming The facilitator asks leading questions to guide the group in uncovering the risks such as What risks might we run into? or What surprises might occur during the Design Phase? Organize the agenda by different categories of risk events. Spend a specified amount of time generating potential risk events for each category, and then move on. All team members suggest ideas as they come to mind. Designate someone to take notes or use a whiteboard. After the meeting, have someone sort and organize the response. Provide a worksheet so participants can rate the potential risk events or the like. Schedule a follow up meeting where these results can be discussed. Key Points All ideas are good ideas Maintain a safe environment Don't get bogged down in unnecessary details Delphi With the Delphi, a facilitator collects anonymous responses from Question posed in writing to experts. Response collected and compiled. Identity of contributor is unknown
participants, shares them for review, then adds/deletes, and shares as many times as necessary to come to a consensus. Results sent to experts for review/ consensus. Nominal Group Nominal Group gives participants a question and brainstorming time. After brainstorming, the facilitator begins a round robin session to share ideas,charting responses, and continuously sharing so no one person dominates the session. Question posed to group. Silent thinking. Share ideas round robin. Pass when ideas exhausted. Continue until all ideas shared. Participation by all No one dominates the session Affinity Diagramming Silent brainstorming where the team works to respond to the question posed to the group without talking. Each Phrase question. Individual brainstormin g of ideas. Silent sorting. Silence Works in virtual setting w/ digital whiteboard
member writes their ideas on postit-notes (one idea per postit note) and shares it on a flip chart. Members post ideas according to risk category. Members may add new items as they think of them. Create headers. Crawford Slip With the Crawford Slip, a question is posed to the group, such as "What risks might be encounter on this project?" Each participant writes down as many ideas as they can on separate post-it-notes and hands their results to the facilitator, who compiles results to review at a later time. Question posed to individuals. Individuals respond to question one response per slip of paper. Individuals dismissed. Responses compiled for discussion. Focus on quantity of responses No conversation
Analogy Identify risk from a simpler project, then compare those risks to the project at task, looking for similarities. Brainstorm on simpler & unrelated project. Compare problem to seemingly unrelated object. Helpful to get brainstorming group warmed up Interviews There are times when a one-on-one conversation with the project sponsor or subject expert may be used to identify risk. Conduct the interview, allowing time for follow-up to confirm the information gained or to address additional questions, address additional questions, or share concerns and insights the subject may have. Identify individual(s). Supply project information. Interview for risks. Use as follow-up on earlier risk identification work Thank the interviewees for participating
SWOT Analysis Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats based on the project. For the project identify each of the quadrants. Consider weaknesses and threats as sources of negative risks. Use strengths and opportunities as sources of positive risks.