Group Techniques 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.
 Technique Description Technique Key Points
Process
The facilitator  All team “All ideas are good
asks leading members ideas”
questions to suggest Maintain a “safe”
guide the ideas as they environment
group in come to
uncovering mind. Don't get bogged down
the risks such  Designate in unnecessary details
as “What risks someone to
might we run take notes or
into?” or use a
“What whiteboard.
surprises  After the
might occur meeting,
during the have
Design someone
Phase?” sort and
Brainstorming
Organize the organize the
agenda by response.
different  Provide a
categories of worksheet so
risk events. participants
Spend a can rate the
specified potential risk
amount of events or the
time like.
generating  Schedule a
potential risk follow up
events for meeting
each where these
category, and results can
then move be
on. discussed.

With the  Question Identity of contributor

Delphi posed in is unknown
Technique, a writing to
Delphi facilitator experts.
Technique collects  Response
anonymous collected and
responses compiled.
from
 participants,  Results sent
shares them to experts
for review, for review/
then consensus.
adds/deletes,
and shares as
many times
as necessary
to come to a
consensus.

Nominal Nominal  Question Participation by all

Group Group posed to No one dominates the
Technique Technique group. session
gives  Silent
participants a thinking.
question and  Share ideas
brainstorming “round
time. After robin”.
brainstorming,  “Pass” when
the facilitator ideas
begins a exhausted.
round robin  Continue
session to until all ideas
share shared.
ideas,charting
responses,
and
continuously
sharing so no
one person
dominates the
session.

Silent  Phrase Silence

brainstorming question. Works in virtual setting
where the  Individual w/ digital whiteboard
Affinity team works to brainstormin
Diagramming respond to the g of ideas.
question  Silent
posed to the sorting.
group without
talking. Each
 member  Create
writes their headers.
ideas on post-
it-notes (one
idea per post-
it 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.

With the  Question Focus on quantity of

Crawford Slip, posed to responses
a question is individuals. No conversation
posed to the  Individuals
group, such respond to
as "What risks question –
might be one response
encounter on per slip of
this project?" paper.
Each  Individuals
participant dismissed.
Crawford Slip writes down  Responses
as many ideas compiled for
as they can discussion.
on separate
post-it-notes
and hands
their results
to the
facilitator,
who compiles
results to
review at a
later time.
 Identify risk  Brainstorm Helpful to get
from a simpler on simpler & brainstorming group
project, then unrelated “warmed up”
compare project.
Analogy those risks to  Compare
Technique the project at problem to
task, looking seemingly
for unrelated
similarities. object.

There are  Identify Use as follow-up on

times when a individual(s). earlier risk identification
one-on-one work Thank the
conversation  Supply interviewees for
with the project participating
project information.
sponsor or  Interview for
subject expert risks.
may be used
to identify
risk. Conduct
the interview,
allowing time
for follow-up
Interviews
to confirm the
information
gained or to
address
additional
questions,
address
additional
questions, or
share
concerns and
insights the
subject may
have.
 Identify  For the
strengths, project
weaknesses, identify each
opportunities, of the
and threats quadrants.
based on the  Consider
project. weaknesses
and threats
as sources of
SWOT negative
Analysis risks.
 Use
strengths
and
opportunities
as sources of
positive
risks.