Managing PRINCE2 Risk on Real Projects
I’m sure you understand the PRINCE2 risk management procedure, and I have written many articles in describing it. So, I won’t do that here.
Instead, I want to give you some practical insights on real actions you should be taking to tame and control risk on your projects.
My first piece of advice is simple, stop your risks from hiding with in plain sight, by including the topic whenever you communicate with members of the project management team.
The next time you meet up with the specialist team, include a brainstorming session – even if only for 5 minutes, to get each person to identify at least one risk that they can think of.
Then get the group to come up with ideas to respond to each risk.
An example of how valuable this can be, is in discussions on what can be done to mitigate such risks, and who else do we need to talk to resolve risk situations.
If this happens on a regular basis, that the next meeting the project manager can ask if such actions helped, is the risk getting worse or better?
Of course, the project manager needs to use the PRINCE2 controls, such as entering risk information on the risk register, including it in management reports, making sure actions were carried out, and monitoring risk mitigation.
The PRINCE2 methods suggests several risk estimation techniques such as probability trees, expected value, pareto analysis, and probability impact grid. In addition to these, PRINCE2 reminds you to review lessons, use risk checklists, risk prompt lists, and risk breakdown structures.
PRINCE2 Risk scales
PRINCE2 goes on to describe how scales will measure the probability and impact of risks, such as low, medium, or high. That when it comes to impact, the project manager might need to consider different ways of scaling dependent upon which project objectives are under threat from risks.
These impacts may be measured in weeks, in dollars, quality features, loss of functionality, or a reduction in business benefits.
PRINCE2 proximity
This usually confuses the heck out of people! So, let me explain.
This simply describes when the risk might happen including giving an indication of how the risk’s probability or impact may vary over time.
During the project, each risk needs to be assigned a proximity category, which will indicate when it might occur.
Some risks might occur on a very specific date, others may occur at a fixed duration often they have been triggered.
Suppose there is a threat that one of your specialist team members may be head hunted by another organization. You can’t really nail down when that date will be, but you do know they must give one months’ notice – so that is the proximity metric.
Other types of proximity may be categorized as imminent, within the stage, within the project, or beyond the project – in other words, and expected timeframe from the present.
Probability indicates when a risk might occur and how the probability of a risk for the impact on the project might vary over time. If your project is in building construction, then delays might occur at the times of year when the weather is bad.
PRINCE2 Risk categories
The Manual suggests that sorting risks into categories will help identify specific risk problem areas. Once such standard set of categories is PESTLE – standing for political, economic, social (for example an inexperienced project manager or team member likely to introduce delays or errors of judgment), technological, legal, and environment (this latter category may include meticulous safety regulations or detailed procurement processes)
But for me, the main advantage of risk categories is that they help the project manager to audit how brought their risk focus is. As an example, the project manager may come to realize that the project management team is very good at spotting technological risks but poor at spotting legal risks.
This suggests that the project manager might want to get legal experts involved in the risk identification workshops.
As a general approach to risk threats, first try to prevent them from happening in the first place. If this is not possible, try to reduce the likelihood or impact on the project. As a last resort, escalate the risk to the project board and closely monitor it.
PRINCE2 early warning indicators
Several things might indicate to the project manager that all is not well with the project. As an example, the project may fall behind should rule by a certain number of days, or the customers may keep changing their minds.
It is useful to set some thresholds in a number of areas that, if they are breached, indicate that the project might be at greater risk.
Here is an example of how an early warning indicator could be expressed:
“If any of the following thresholds are breached, notify all project stakeholders and allow a Project Assurance to carry out a full risk review:
- The project schedule falls behind by more than one month
- The number of requests for change exceeds 20
- The number of issues recorded in the issue register as Severe, exceeds 10 “
PRINCE2 risk tolerance
Another area of potential confusion!
Risk tolerance is defined as the threshold level of risk that, if exceeded, needs to be escalated to the next level of management. That’s fine, but what does it actually mean?
Risk tolerance should be set at both project and stage levels giving escalation paths to the next level up.
There are two ways of setting this threshold.
An overall figure could be set, for example, the risk tolerance for the project is given a dollar value to represents the aggregated expected impact of all project risks.
Another way, is that the project management team can state that if a certain type of risks appear, then such risks could result in operational failure, and they need to be escalated immediately.
Put simply, the project manager could state that all risks that have a high probability and high impact must be escalated to the project board.
PRINCE2 Risk budget
Let me take a guess here, I’m willing to bet that your project board never suggests using a risk budget. To them, it often feels like a project manager slush fund to cover poor management. In any case, they expect the project manager to manage risks within the project budget.
But they’d be dead wrong.
The project management team Should consider setting aside some of the project budget to fund various risk responses – And this is called A risk budget.
The money might be reserved for dealing with a particular set of named risks, or it might be a more general fund.
As an example, the project manager may state that a certain amount of money be used to fund risk responses to any risks that have high probability and impact
Take the easy route to become a PRINCE2 Practitioner – Check Out How HERE!
This course is DEPRECATED
The old PRINCE2 6th Edition Foundation and Practitioner syllabus was upgraded in 2024. Check out the brand NEW PRINCE2 7th Edition Masterclass, covering all the current syllabus, training material and online exam benefits HERE
Your Route To PRINCE2 6th Edition Practitioner
Study PRINCE2 6 Foundation and Practitioner Exams with our famous on-line course with streaming HD Video Lessons, study guides and mock exams. In the last fifteen years we have had 6,000+ Academy students successfully transform their careers as PRINCE2 Practitioners.
