The Project Management Body of Knowledge (“PMBOK”) describes 12 Principles of Risk Management. I’ve taken the headings and summarised the main messages from an Agile perspective.
1) Organisational Context
There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to Risk Management. Each organisation will be affected by different Political, Economic, Societal, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors (“PESTLE“).
It’s also worth pointing out (the obvious) that each organisation will have different internal cultures, communication channels, levels of agile-adoption and existing risk management processes.
2) Stakeholder Involvement
Involve your stakeholders wherever possible. Keep them informed and understand the role they can/could play at each stage in the Risk Management process > Identify, Assess, Respond, Review.
3) Organisational Objectives
When assessing and responding to a risk, be sure to keep the overal organisational objectives in mind – see the bigger picture.
When considering a Task-level risk, look at the role it plays towards delivering a User Story. If you’re concerned about a User Story, consider the impact it has on delivering your Sprint Objective or the relevant Theme. If you’re concerned about a particular Theme, then look at the relevant Epic or the Programme of works.
Keep things in perspective and don’t lose sight of your end-goal.
4) Management of Risk Approach (N/A)
This particular principle is less applicable as it refers specifically to the PMBOK Risk Management processes, however the message basically stresses the importance of following best practice guidelines and learning from the mistakes of others.
5) Reporting
Keep people informed – ensure transparency and visibility. Communication is key!
6) Roles & Responsibilities
Make sure that everyone understands the role they play at each stage of the Risk Management Life cycle i.e. > Identify, Assess, Respond, Review. Ensure that all bases are covered by someone.
7) Support Structure
Ensure that everyone understands how risk is managed through the Risk Management Life cycle and who to go to if they have any questions.
For example:
- How are risks identified (e.g. via Daily Scrum)
- How and when are risks escalated?
- Where and in what format are risks documented?
- How and when are risks reviewed (e.g. Retrospective)
- etc.
8) Early Warning Indicators
Give yourself the best chance of forecasting/anticipating the transition of a Risk to an active Issue. Ensure that everyone is communicating and that any potential issues are highlighted in the Daily Scrum.
It’s also important to know how you should react in the event a risk does or is about to be realised e.g. who needs to know and how will you inform them – in the Daily Scrum also? Or, maybe in the Scrum of Scrums? Or, maybe you’ll just walk over and tell them.
9) Review Cycle
Make sure that your Risk Board is visible and that you’re regularly reviewing it – you could do this via the Retrospective and as an extension to the Daily Scrum by adding a 4th question:
- What did you do since the last sprint?
- What will do you today?
- Is there anything blocking you at the moment?
- Any changes to the risks board?
10) Overcoming Barriers to the Management of Risk
Ensure you’re doing everything you can to give you the best chance of successfully managing risk.
Some common barriers include:
- Established roles, responsibilities, accountability and ownership.
- An appropriate budget for embedding approach and carrying out activities.
- Adequate and accessible training, tools and techniques.
- Risk management orientation, induction and training processes.
- Regular assessment of Management of Risk approach (including all of the above issues).
11) Supportive Culture
Make sure that everyone on the team feels comfortable raising, discussing and managing risks.
12) Continual Improvement
Use the Retrospective to review the way you manage risk and to assess ongoing risks. Learn from your mistakes.
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FAQs
These 12 Project Management Principles include stewardship, teamwork, stakeholder engagement, value creation, systems thinking, leadership, tailored approaches, quality focus, managing project complexity, risk management, building adaptability and resiliency, and change management.
What are the 12 guiding principles of Pmbok? ›
These 12 Project Management Principles include stewardship, teamwork, stakeholder engagement, value creation, systems thinking, leadership, tailored approaches, quality focus, managing project complexity, risk management, building adaptability and resiliency, and change management.
What are the risk responses in Agile? ›
You can use four main types of risk responses: avoid, transfer, mitigate, or accept. Avoid means to eliminate the risk or its source, or change the project plan to avoid the risk. Transfer means to shift the risk or its impact to a third party, such as an insurance company or a subcontractor.
What are the steps of risk management in Pmbok? ›
Risk management includes six main processes in PMBOK theory. These are risk management planning, risk identification, qualitative risk analysis, quantitative risk analysis, risk response planning, and risk monitoring and control.
What is the highest priority of the 12 agile Principles? ›
Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through the early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
Why are the 12 principles of project management important? ›
The 12 principles as laid down in the Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide (PMBOK) act like the rules for the entire project management process. Every project manager must adhere to these principles for the successful completion of a project and ensure that they are working in the right direction.
What is the most current PMBOK Guide? ›
The PMBOK Guide that you should study for the PMP (Project Management Professional) exam depends on the edition that is current at the time you are preparing for the exam. The most recent edition was the 7th edition, released in 2021. However, PMI may have released a new edition since then.
What is the current PMBOK Guide? ›
PMBOK used by project managers and organizations worldwide to improve their project management processes. It is a common language for project managers to communicate and share knowledge. The latest edition, the 7th, was released in 2021 and includes updated information on agile and hybrid project management approaches.
What are the five phases of risk management in agile methodology? ›
- Step 1: Identify the Risk. The initial step in the risk management process is to identify the risks that the business is exposed to in its operating environment. ...
- Step 2: Analyze the Risk. ...
- Step 3: Evaluate the Risk or Risk Assessment. ...
- Step 4: Treat the Risk. ...
- Step 5: Monitor and Review the Risk.
What is risk in Agile project? ›
Common risks in Agile projects
There are many common risks which can occur in Agile projects, including: using Agile project management where not appropriate. not following Agile principles. reduced level of recommended governance and oversight.
Some examples of risk categories are technical, legal, environmental, organizational, and external. The PMBOK guide suggests using a risk breakdown structure (RBS) to create a hierarchy of risk categories and subcategories, but you can also use other methods, such as checklists, brainstorming, or expert judgment.
What is a risk in PMBOK? ›
So, here is the PMBOK® Guide definition: "Risk - an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives" (such as scope, schedule, cost, and quality). Let's break down this definition of risk: Uncertain event or condition. Risks involve uncertainty.
What are issues and risks in PMBOK? ›
The PMBOK defines the terms as follows: an “issue” is “a point or matter in question or dispute, or a point of matter that is not settled and is under discussion or over which there are opposing views or disagreements”, while a risk is defined as “an uncertain event or condition that if, it occurs, has a positive or ...
When were the 12 agile Principles created? ›
The Agile Manifesto was published in February 2001 and is the work of 17 software development practitioners who observed the increasing need for an alternative to documentation-driven and heavyweight software development processes.
What are the top 5 agile principles? ›
5 Key Principles of Agile Methodology and How to Apply Them
- Prioritize customer satisfaction through continuous delivery. ...
- Embrace change. ...
- Focus on teamwork and collaboration. ...
- Deliver working software frequently. ...
- Build projects around motivated individuals.
What are the 10 key characteristics of agile project management? ›
Here are 14 Agile characteristics that can help your project management succeed:
- Continuous adaption. Agile project management favors change. ...
- Transparency. ...
- Listening capability. ...
- Collaboration. ...
- Efficient communication. ...
- Customer satisfaction. ...
- Sequential approach. ...
- Frequent testing.