⚠️ Risk Identification & Tracking
Spotting risks early and managing them before they become problems.
Risk categories
- Technical — Architecture limitations, integration issues, performance
- Resource — Team availability, skill gaps, turnover
- Timeline — Unrealistic deadlines, dependency delays
- Scope — Creep, unclear requirements, changing priorities
- External — Vendor reliability, regulatory changes, market shifts
Risk assessment matrix
| Probability / Impact | Low | Medium | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Medium | High | Critical |
| Medium | Low | Medium | High |
| Low | Low | Low | Medium |
Risk response strategies
- Avoid — Change the plan to eliminate the risk
- Mitigate — Reduce probability or impact
- Transfer — Shift risk to a third party (insurance, outsourcing)
- Accept — Acknowledge and prepare a contingency plan
Risk register template
| Risk | Category | Probability | Impact | Response | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| API vendor goes down | External | Medium | High | Fallback provider | Tech Lead | Monitoring |
Best practices
- Review risks at every sprint review or milestone
- Assign an owner to each risk
- Track leading indicators, not just lagging ones
- Create contingency plans for critical risks before they happen
- Celebrate risks that were mitigated successfully