risk-analysis

What is the best way to analyze a project's risk?


Is there a fool-proof way to pull out all the risks involved in a project? And does it differ depending on the type of projects your working on (ie: website, client/server...)?


Solution

  • "Does [risk] differ depending on the type of projects [you're] working on?"

    Yes, absolutely. There are several universal risks for software projects (lack of managerial commitment, poor communication, etc.), but risk "profiles" differ with context. The risks of a videogame project, say, are very different than the risks of an enterprise supply-chain management projecst.

    For corporate development, risks differ depending on managerial support and sophistication, team structure, project size, client-facing vs internal, platform choice, and level of integration, just to name some major areas.

    The very fact that risks differ is one of the reasons why "insufficient experience in the domain" is a universal risk.

    Risk profiles for various contexts are popular subjects for academic papers (do a survey, grind some numbers, get a publication credit...). They aren't typically riveting reading, but they are well worth reviewing when developing a project plan.

    A great short book on risk management is "Waltzing with Bears" by DeMarco and Lister.