Answer :
Risk Impact/Probability Charts : Risk
management is an important function in organizations today.
Companies undertake increasingly complex and ambitious projects,
and those projects must be executed successfully, in an uncertain
and often risky environment. As a responsible manager, you need to
be aware of these risks. Does this mean that you should try to
address each and every risk that your project might face? Probably
not – in all but the most critical environments, this can be much
too expensive, both in time and resources.
Instead, you need to prioritize risks. If you do this
effectively, you can focus the majority of your time and effort on
the most important risks. The Risk Impact/Probability Chart
provides a useful framework that helps you decide which risks need
your attention.
The Risk Impact/Probability Chart is based on the principle that
a risk has two primary dimensions:
- Probability – A risk is an event that "may"
occur. The probability of it occurring can range anywhere from just
above 0 percent to just below 100 percent. (Note: It can't be
exactly 100 percent, because then it would be a certainty, not a
risk. And it can't be exactly 0 percent, or it wouldn't be a
risk.)
- Impact – A risk, by its very nature, always
has a negative impact. However, the size of the impact varies in
terms of cost and impact on health, human life, or some other
critical factor.
The chart allows you to rate potential risks on these two
dimensions. The probability that a risk will occur is represented
on one axis of the chart – and the impact of the risk, if it
occurs, on the other. You use these two measures to plot the risk
on the chart. This gives you a quick, clear view of the priority
that you need to give to each. You can then decide what resources
you will allocate to managing that particular risk.
The basic form of the Risk Impact/Probability Chart is shown in
figure 1, below.
The corners of the chart have these
characteristics:
- Low impact/low probability – Risks in the
bottom left corner are low level, and you can often ignore
them.
- Low impact/high probability – Risks in the top
left corner are of moderate importance – if these things happen,
you can cope with them and move on. However, you should try to
reduce the likelihood that they'll occur.
- High impact/low probability – Risks in the
bottom right corner are of high importance if they do occur, but
they're very unlikely to happen. For these, however, you should do
what you can to reduce the impact they'll have if they do occur,
and you should have contingency plans in place just in
case they do.
- High impact/high probability – Risks towards
the top right corner are of critical importance. These are your top
priorities, and are risks that you must pay close attention
to.
Steps
:
- List all of the likely risks that your project faces. Make the
list as comprehensive as possible.
- Assess the probability of each risk occurring, and assign it a
rating. For example, you could use a scale of 1 to 10. Assign a
score of 1 when a risk is extremely unlikely to occur, and use a
score of 10 when the risk is extremely likely to occur.
- Estimate the impact on the project if the risk occurs. Again,
do this for each and every risk on your list. Using your 1-10
scale, assign it a 1 for little impact and a 10 for a huge,
catastrophic impact.
- Map out the ratings on the Risk Impact/Probability Chart.
- Develop a response to each risk, according to its position in
the chart. Remember, risks in the bottom left corner can often be
ignored, while those in the top right corner need a great deal of
time and attention