12/20/23, 3:53 PM 20 Common Project Risks - example Risk Register

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20 Common Project Risks - Example Risk Register

Want to a kick start to your Risk Management (/risk/risk-management.html)?
Want to make sure you have identified key project risks (https://www.stakeholdermap.com/risk/risk-
identification.html)?
Not sure what actions you can take to reduce the likelihood of key project risks?
Look no further!

Download our risk register of 20 key common project risks.

This is a FREE risk register that contains 20 common project risks with mitigating (/risk/risk-mitigation.html) and
contingency actions that you can take against each one.

The 20 common project risks |  View the register |  Download the risk register in Excel |  Video - How to
edit the risk register (/risk/video-how-to-edit-register-common-project-risks.html) | Bonus mindmap of the
common risks (/risk/mindmap-top-project-risks.html)

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12/20/23, 3:53 PM 20 Common Project Risks - example Risk Register

20 Common Project Risks

These are the 20 common project risks which we have included in the risk register along with suggested mitigating
actions and contingency actions

1. Project purpose and need is not well-defined.

2. Project design and deliverable (/project-dictionary/deliverable-meaning-definition.html) definition is incomplete.

3. Project schedule (/project-dictionary/project-schedule-meaning.html) is not clearly defined or understood.

4. No control over staff priorities.

5. Consultant or contractor delays.

6. Estimating and/or scheduling errors.

7. Unplanned work that must be accommodated.

8. Lack of communication, causing lack of clarity and confusion.

9. Pressure to arbitrarily reduce task durations and or run tasks (/project-dictionary/task-meaning-definition.html)

in parallel which would increase risk of errors.

10. Scope Creep. (/project-dictionary/scope-creep-meaning.html)

11. project (/project-management/what-is-a-project.html) conflicts not resolved in a timely manner.

12. Business Case (/project-management/business-case.html) becomes obsolete or is undermined by external or

internal changes.

13. Delay in earlier project phases (/project-dictionary/what-is-project-phase.html) jeopardizes ability to meet fixed
date. For example delivery of just in time materials, for conference or launch date.

14. Added workload or time requirements because of new direction, policy, or statute.

15. Inadequate customer testing leads to large post go live defect list.

16. Legal action delays or pauses project (/project-management/what-is-a-project.html).

17. Customer refuses to approve deliverables (/project-dictionary/deliverable-meaning-definition.html)/milestones

(/project-management/project-milestones.html) or delays approval, putting pressure on project manager to 'work
at risk'.

18. Theft of materials, intellectual property or equipment.

19. Acts of God for example, extreme weather, leads to loss of resources (/project-dictionary/resource-
meaning.html), materials, premises etc.

20. Stakeholder (/stakeholder-definition.html) action delays the project (/project-management/what-is-a-

project.html). For more on the damage stakeholders (/stakeholder-definition.html) can do see our case studies
of real world projects that faced costs running into millions, because of stakeholder actions (/stakeholder-
management-case-studies.html).

Completed risk register with 20 project risks you need to manage

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Severity
Impact Rating Owner
Likelihood if the based on Person who will Mitigating action
of the risk risk impact & manage the Actions to mitigate the risk
ID Risk description occurring occurs likelihood. risk. e.g. reduce the likelihood.

1 Project purpose and Medium High High Project Sponsor Complete a business case
need is not well- (/project- (/project-
defined. dictionary/project- management/business-
sponsor- case.html) if not already
meaning.html) provided and ensure
purpose is well defined on
Project Charter (/project-
dictionary/project-charter-
meaning-definition.html) and
PID (/project-
management/pid.html).

2 Project design and Low High High Project Sponsor Define the scope (/project-
deliverable (/project- (/project- dictionary/scope-meaning-in-
dictionary/deliverable- dictionary/project- project-management.html) in
meaning- sponsor- detail via design workshops
definition.html) meaning.html) with input from subject
definition is matter experts (/project-
incomplete. dictionary/subject-matter-
expert-meaning-
definition.html).

3 Project schedule Low Medium Medium Project Manager Hold scheduling workshops
(/project- with the project team
dictionary/project- (/definitions/project-
schedule- team.html) so they
meaning.html) is not understand the plan and
clearly defined or likelihood of missed tasks is
understood reduced.
Share the schedule and go
through upcoming tasks at
each weekly project
progress meeting.

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Severity
Impact Rating Owner
Likelihood if the based on Person who will Mitigating action
of the risk risk impact & manage the Actions to mitigate the risk
ID Risk description occurring occurs likelihood. risk. e.g. reduce the likelihood.

4 No control over staff Medium Medium Medium Project Manager The Project Sponsor
priorities (/project-dictionary/project-
sponsor-meaning.html) will
brief team managers on the
importance of the project.
Soft book resources
(/project-dictionary/resource-
meaning.html) as early as
possible and then
communicate final booking
dates asap after the
scheduling workshops.
Identify back ups for each
human resource on
the project.

5 Consultant or Medium High High Project Manager Include late penalties in

contractor delays contracts.
Build in and protect lead time
in the schedule.
Communicate schedule
early.
Check in with suppliers
regularly. Query '90% done'.
Ask again and again if they
need anything else.

6 Estimating/or Medium High High Project Manager Break this two risks 'cost
scheduling errors estimating' and 'scheduling
errors'.
Use two methods of cost
estimation, and carefully
track costs and forecast cost
at completion making
adjustments as necessary.
Build in 10% contingency on
cost (/project-dictionary/cost-
definition-meaning.html) and
scheduling.
Track schedules daily and
include schedule review as
an agenda item in every
project team
(/definitions/project-
team.html) meeting.
Flag forecast errors and/or
delays to the Project Board
(/project-dictionary/project-
board-meaning.html) early.

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12/20/23, 3:53 PM 20 Common Project Risks - example Risk Register

Download this risk register of common project risks

Download this risk register of common project risks

Severity
Impact Rating Owner
Likelihood if the based on Person who will Mitigating action
of the risk risk impact & manage the Actions to mitigate the r
ID Risk description occurring occurs likelihood. risk. e.g. reduce the likelihoo

7 Unplanned work that Low High Medium Team Manager Attend project scheduling
must be accommodated workshops.
Check previous projects,
actual work and costs.
Check all plans and quan
surveys.
Document all assumption
(/project-
dictionary/assumptions-
meaning.html) made in
planning and communicat
to the project manager
before project kick off.

8 Lack of communication, Medium Medium Medium Project Manager Write a communication pl

causing lack of clarity and which includes: the
confusion. frequency, goal, and
audience of each
communication.
Identify stakeholders early
and make sure they are
considered in the
communication plan. Use
most appropriate channel
communication for audien
e.g. don't send 3 paragrap
email to Developers, have
call instead.

9 Pressure to arbitrarily Low High Medium Project Manager Share the schedule with k
reduce task durations and stakeholders (/stakeholde
or run tasks in parallel definition.html) to reduce
which would increase risk risk of this happening.
of errors. Patiently explain that
schedule was built using t
expertise of subject matte
experts (/project-
dictionary/subject-matter-
expert-meaning-
definition.html). Explain th
risks of the changes. Sha
the Dennis Lock quote at
Why you should never
arbitrarily reduce task
durations (/plan-project/pl
reduction-crashing.html).

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12/20/23, 3:53 PM 20 Common Project Risks - example Risk Register

Severity
Impact Rating Owner
Likelihood if the based on Person who will Mitigating action
of the risk risk impact & manage the Actions to mitigate the r
ID Risk description occurring occurs likelihood. risk. e.g. reduce the likelihoo

10 Scope Creep (/project- Medium High High Project Manager Document the project sco
dictionary/scope-creep- (/project-dictionary/scope-
meaning.html) meaning-in-project-
management.html) in a
Project Initiation Documen
(/project-
management/pid.html) or
Project Charter (/project-
dictionary/project-charter-
meaning-definition.html) a
get it authorised by the
Project Board (/project-
dictionary/project-board-
meaning.html). Refer to it
throughout the project and
assess all changes agains
also ensuring alignment o
any changes with the
Business Case (/project-
management/business-
case.html).

11 Unresolved project Low Medium Medium Project Manager Hold regular project team
conflicts not escalated in (/definitions/project-
a timely manner team.html) meetings and
look out for conflicts. Rev
the project plan (/project-
dictionary/project-plan-
meaning-definition.html) a
stakeholder engagement
plan (/stakeholder-
engagement.html) for
potential areas of conflict.

12 Business Case (/project- Low High High Project Sponsor No ability to reduce
management/business- (/project- likelihood, but make sure
case.html) becomes dictionary/project- early warning is given by
obsolete or is undermined sponsor- reviewing business case
by external or internal meaning.html) (/project-
changes. management/business-
case.html) on regular bas
with the Project Board
(/project-dictionary/projec
board-meaning.html).

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12/20/23, 3:53 PM 20 Common Project Risks - example Risk Register

Severity
Impact Rating Owner
Likelihood if the based on Person who will Mitigating action
of the risk risk impact & manage the Actions to mitigate the r
ID Risk description occurring occurs likelihood. risk. e.g. reduce the likelihoo

13 Delay in earlier project Medium High High Project Manager Ensure the project plan
phases (/project- (/project-dictionary/projec
dictionary/what-is-project- plan-meaning-definition.h
phase.html) jeopardizes is as accurate as possible
ability to meet fixed date. using scheduling worksho
For example, delivery of and work breakdown
just in time materials, for structure (/project-
conference or launch dictionary/work-breakdow
date. structure-meaning.html). U
Tracking Gantt and Basel
to identify schedule slippa
early.

14 Added workload or time Low Medium Medium Project Sponsor No ability to reduce
requirements because of (/project- likelihood.
new direction, policy, or dictionary/project-
statute sponsor-
meaning.html)

15 Inadequate customer High High High Project Manager Ensure customer prepare
testing leads to large post test cases/quality checks
go live snag list. and protect testing/quality
assurance window.

16 Legal action delays or Low Medium Medium Project Sponsor Ensure all contracts signe
pauses project. (/project- before starting the project
dictionary/project- Follow all regulatory
sponsor- requirements and comple
meaning.html) stakeholder management
plan.

17 Customer refuses to Medium Medium Medium Project Manager Ensure customer decision
approve deliverables maker with budgetary
(/project- authority (/project-
dictionary/deliverable- dictionary/budget-authorit
meaning- meaning-definition.html) is
definition.html)/milestones identified before project
or delays approval, (/project-management/wh
putting pressure on is-a-project.html) start and
project manager to 'work part of the Project Board
at risk'. (/project-dictionary/projec
board-meaning.html).
Communicate dates for si
off points up front.

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12/20/23, 3:53 PM 20 Common Project Risks - example Risk Register

Severity
Impact Rating Owner
Likelihood if the based on Person who will Mitigating action
of the risk risk impact & manage the Actions to mitigate the r
ID Risk description occurring occurs likelihood. risk. e.g. reduce the likelihoo

18 Theft of materials, Low High High Project Manager Follow security procedure
intellectual property or ensure Non-Disclosure
equipment. Agreements (/project-
dictionary/agreement-
meaning-and-
definition.html), &
compliance certificates ar
place. Verify all physical
security measures in plac
Secure insurance.

19 Acts of God for example, Low High High Project Manager Check insurance is in plac
extreme weather, leads to Familiarise project team
loss of resources (/definitions/project-
(/project- team.html) with emergenc
dictionary/resource- procedures. When cost
meaning.html), materials, effective put back up
premises etc. systems in place e.g.
generators.

20 Stakeholder action delays Low High High Project Manager Identify stakeholders
project. (/stakeholder-definition.ht
analyze power and influen
(/stakeholder-analysis.htm
and create a Stakeholder
Engagement Plan
(/stakeholder-
engagement.html). Projec
Board (/project-
dictionary/project-board-
meaning.html) to authoris
the plan. Revisit the plan
regular intervals to check
Stakeholders (/stakeholde
definition.html) are
managed. Consider gettin
insurance.

Download the Risk Register of common Project Risks

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12/20/23, 3:53 PM 20 Common Project Risks - example Risk Register

Excel 1997 - 2003 download (.xls) - FREE Risk Register of Common Risks
(/risk/risk-register-of-common-project-risks.xls)

Excel download (.xlsx) - FREE Risk Register of Common Risks (/risk/risk-

register-of-common-project-risks.xlsx)

MindMap download - FREE MindMap of Common Project Risks (/risk/mindmap-

top-project-risks.html)
Video - How to edit the risk register (/risk/video-how-to-edit-register-common-project-
risks.html)

More on risk management

 The Top 50 Business Risks and how to manage them! (/risk/business-risk.html)
 Checklist of 30 Construction Risks (/risk/construction-risks.html)
 Download a Risk Register template (/risk/risk-register.html)
 Overall Project Risk Assessment Template (/risk/project-risk-assessment-
template.html)

 Simple Risk Register Template (/risk/simple-risk-register-template.html)

Resources used in this article
Lock, D. (2007) Project Management Nineth Edition (https://amzn.to/3qiLzIm), Aldershot, England and Brookfield, Vt:
Gower Publishing Limited

© 2008 - 2099 T Morphy. stakeholdermap.com.

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