Managing Risks Across Various Projects

If you're in the business of leading projects, then at least 10% of your time should be spent on identifying and planning around risks. At least, this is what I was taught in my first PMI project management course years ago. And while reasonable people can disagree on the specific amount of time needed, the point is solid - one of the major roles anyone in production or program management type roles is assigned to take on is risk assessment and mitigation. Unfortunately, for a lot of producers in the game industry, this isn't something they were formally trained on, particularly if you came into the role from another discipline in games (such as QA or Design) or if your only formal training came from a two day Scrum course. I saw the subject come up in the Building Better Games Q&A call and I was actually excited when Aaron Smith brought up the same techniques I was trained on years ago and have adopted (and adapted) ever since. It's the way I teach my own teams and while it requires dilligence and consistency, it's not hard to pick up (it's easier than the rules for the board game "Risk"). 1 - Identify risks On a regular basis, you should be asking your team what are the risks they see. Every time a decision needs to be made, a story is written, or a feature is spec'd, you should think about what could go wrong. Those are your risks. 2 - Document Keep the risks written down in a doc everyone has access to (Gdocs, Confluence, etc). The way I prefer (and what I saw Aaron advocating) is a spreadsheet. Each risk gets a line item and a category (if the risk happens, what would be impacted - costs? security? people? players?). 3 - Impact You should also track the potential impact - how bad is this risk if it happens? Is it a trivial risk or a catastrophic one? Would it involve some work to reboot a service or would it potentially take down your entire data center? Assign these risks a score. I prefer 1 to 5, Trivial to Catastrophic. 4 - Probability You should score out how likely each risk is to occur. Is it highly unlikely or nearly certain? Score these out also on the same scale, typically 1 to 5. 5 - Prioritize Multiply the Impact and Probability to come up with your score, somewhere between 1 (something trivial that is highly unlikely) to 25 (a nearly certain, catastrophic event) and then sort or at least color range your spreadsheet accordingly to show your risks in a way that prioritizes your attention. 6 - Action Plans The last column I make sure to include is what type of plan is in place to address the risk. Something with a minor impact may be something we just accept where something more serious may require a full mitigation plan. The value here is that you've documented these risks and can communicate them out (as well as what needs doing). You're addressing risks before they become real problems in this way. #production #risks #gamedev #bettergames

Risk Management Made Simple: A Straightforward Approach for Every Project Manager Risk management is crucial to project success, yet it's often seen as complex and intimidating. Here’s a simple approach to managing risks in your projects: 1/ Identify Risks Early: → Start with a risk brainstorm: technical, operational, financial, and external risks. → Collaborate with your team to identify potential threats and opportunities. → Involve diverse team members to gain different perspectives on possible risks. → Use historical data and past project experiences to spot risks that may arise again. 2/ Assess and Prioritize: → Use a risk matrix to assess impact and likelihood. → Prioritize high-impact risks that could derail your project’s success. → Make sure you reassess risks periodically to capture any changes in impact or probability. → Don’t forget to consider opportunities as well—these should be prioritized, too! 3/ Develop Mitigation Plans: → For each priority risk, develop a strategy to minimize or avoid it. → Plan for contingencies to stay prepared for the unexpected. → Ensure the mitigation plans are realistic and actionable. → Set up early-warning systems so you can act quickly if needed. 4/ Assign Ownership: → Assign a team member to own each risk, ensuring accountability. → Ensure they track progress and adjust strategies as necessary. → Empower the risk owner with resources and authority to implement mitigation plans. → Ensure a straightforward escalation process if the risk owner needs help. 5/ Monitor and Update Regularly: → Schedule regular risk reviews and status updates. → Keep an eye on emerging risks and adjust plans as your project evolves. → Maintain an open feedback loop with stakeholders on the evolving risk landscape. → Use project management tools to automate risk tracking and reminders. 6/ Communicate Effectively: → Keep stakeholders informed about risk status and changes. → Be transparent about potential impacts and solutions. → Ensure communication is clear and consistent across all levels of the team. → Adjust your communication style based on your stakeholders' needs and preferences. Managing risk doesn’t have to be complicated. Focus on 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴, and 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆; you'll set your project up for success. What’s one risk management tip you live by? Let’s share some wisdom!

Risk won’t derail your project. But it might distract you from what will. Last week I posted about rethinking the Iron Triangle. A lot of people said I should include "Risk." But here’s the thing... Risk isn’t a foundational constraint. It’s a variable. You don’t plan within risk, you plan around it. Yes, it’s a critical part of planning. But unlike time, scope, and cost, it’s not fixed. Risk is something you: - manage - mitigate - turn into opportunity But you don’t obey it. And here’s the real distinction: - Not all risks spread - Some stay isolated - Some never materialize But issues? Those are guaranteed. They’re materialized risks. Or unplanned events that HAVE gone wrong. And once they hit, they ripple. ➡️ Across scope. ➡️ Across cost. ➡️ Across time. ➡️ Across quality. ➡️ Across your team ➡ Across your roadmap. ➡️ Across a whole lot more. Risk is the potential. Issues are the impact. That’s why your ability to respond fast is what protects delivery And your leadership credibility. So how do you manage and communicate risk like a pro? Here’s how to make it visible and valuable: ✅ Keep a live risk log, tracking any and all risks, no matter how small. ✅ Clearly define each risk. The earlier the better. ✅ Identify which areas (project, team, business) it could impact ✅ Triage it ✅ Have mitigation steps in place ✅ Set a mitigation deadline (the date of closure or further escalation) ✅ Assign a clear owner ✅ Communicate early, often, and transparently This doesn’t just build trust. It shows you’re not just spotting problems, you’re managing outcomes. That’s how you protect the plan. That’s how momentum stays real. That’s how business leaders see you as strategic. A lot of people treat "risk" like it's something to fear or avoid. But managed well, risk provides flexibility, not constraint. Curious, how do you make risk management visible to your #leadership? Drop a comment below! 👇 ♻️ Repost to help other PMs proactively manage risks and issues. 🔔 Follow Elizabeth Dworkin for more on #strategicvisibility. #riskmanagement #projectmanagement #techPM