Managing Project Risks
Managing Project Risks is a fundamental theme within PRINCE2 that runs throughout all processes and activities of the project lifecycle. This theme ensures that risk management is performed systematically, helping projects remain viable and achievable despite uncertainties. The PRINCE2 approach to risk management follows a continuous cycle that involves identifying, assessing, planning, and implementing risk responses. The process begins with establishing a risk management strategy that defines the specific procedures and responsibilities for managing risks within the project. This includes creating and maintaining a risk register that documents all identified threats and opportunities. PRINCE2 risk management encourages early risk identification and continues throughout the project as new risks emerge or existing ones change. Each identified risk undergoes analysis to understand its probability and potential impact, allowing for prioritization based on severity. The framework promotes developing appropriate responses to risks through various strategies: for threats, these include avoiding, reducing, transferring, sharing, or accepting the risk; for opportunities, responses focus on exploiting, enhancing, sharing, or rejecting them. Risk management in PRINCE2 is not a standalone activity but is integrated into regular project management activities. It requires ongoing communication with stakeholders about risk status and regular reviews of the effectiveness of risk responses. The Project Board receives summarized risk information to make informed decisions about project viability, while the Project Manager maintains detailed risk information for day-to-day management. This proactive approach to uncertainty helps minimize project disruptions, reduces the likelihood of project failure, and increases the probability of achieving project objectives within defined constraints.
Managing Project Risks in PRINCE2 Foundation
Why Managing Project Risks is Important in PRINCE2
Risk management is a core component of the PRINCE2 methodology because effective projects require anticipating, understanding, and addressing potential threats and opportunities. The PRINCE2 framework emphasizes that risk management:
• Improves project resilience by identifying potential problems before they occur
• Enhances decision-making through structured risk analysis
• Creates accountability through clear risk ownership
• Enables more accurate planning by accounting for uncertainty
• Increases stakeholder confidence by demonstrating thorough preparation
What is Risk Management in PRINCE2?
In PRINCE2, risk is defined as an uncertain event that could affect project objectives either positively (opportunity) or negatively (threat). The Risk theme provides a systematic approach to managing these uncertainties throughout the project lifecycle.
The risk management procedure in PRINCE2 consists of five steps:
1. Identify - Recognize and document potential risks
2. Assess - Evaluate probability and impact of each risk
3. Plan - Determine specific responses to threats and opportunities
4. Implement - Execute the planned responses
5. Communicate - Keep stakeholders informed about risks
PRINCE2 recommends maintaining a Risk Register as the central repository for all risk information, ensuring that risks are tracked and managed throughout the project.
How Risk Management Works in PRINCE2
PRINCE2 integrates risk management into all process stages and emphasizes that risk management should be:
• Continuous - Risk assessment occurs throughout the project lifecycle
• Integrated - Risk management influences all aspects of project planning and execution
• Consistent - Following the same approach for all projects but tailoring to specific needs
Key risk management activities include:
During Starting Up a Project:
• Initial identification of project risks
• Creating the Risk Management Strategy
During Initiating a Project:
• Establishing the Risk Register
• Defining detailed risk management procedures
During Controlling a Stage:
• Assessing new risks
• Implementing risk responses
• Reporting on risk status
During Managing Product Delivery:
• Identifying and managing risks related to work packages
During Managing a Stage Boundary:
• Reviewing risk status before proceeding to next stage
• Updating the Risk Register for upcoming stages
During Closing a Project:
• Documenting risk lessons learned
• Transferring ownership of ongoing risks
Risk Response Types in PRINCE2
For threats:
• Avoid - Change plans to eliminate the risk
• Reduce - Take actions to decrease probability or impact
• Transfer - Shift impact to a third party (e.g., insurance)
• Accept - Acknowledge but take no action
• Share - Distribute risk across multiple parties
For opportunities:
• Exploit - Ensure the opportunity happens
• Enhance - Increase probability or impact
• Reject - Do not pursue the opportunity
• Share - Distribute benefit across multiple parties
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Managing Project Risks
1. Remember the 5-step procedure - Many questions will test if you know the correct sequence: Identify, Assess, Plan, Implement, and Communicate.
2. Understand risk terminology - Know the difference between:
• Risk - An uncertain event that may affect objectives
• Issue - Something that has already happened
• Risk owner - Person responsible for monitoring the risk
• Risk actionee - Person implementing responses
3. Know the response types - Questions often ask which response is most appropriate in a given scenario.
4. Connect risks to other themes - Understand how risk relates to Plans, Change, Progress, and Quality.
5. Focus on process roles - Know who is responsible for various risk management activities:
• Project Manager - Creating and maintaining the Risk Register
• Project Board - Setting risk tolerances and reviewing major risks
• Team Manager - Identifying and managing work package risks
• Executive - Ultimate accountability for project risk
6. Identify early warning indicators - Recognize signs that risks may be emerging.
7. Apply risk management across processes - Know when and how risk activities occur in each process.
8. Understand risk appetite - Be familiar with how organizations determine acceptable risk levels.
Practice applying risk concepts to realistic scenarios, as the exam often presents situational questions where you need to identify the correct risk management approach for a specific context.
Go Premium
PRINCE2 Foundation Preparation Package (2025)
- 1825 Superior-grade PRINCE2 Foundation practice questions.
- Accelerated Mastery: Deep dive into critical topics to fast-track your mastery.
- Unlock Effortless PRINCE2 Foundation preparation: 5 full exams.
- 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed: Full refund with no questions if unsatisfied.
- Bonus: If you upgrade now you get upgraded access to all courses
- Risk-Free Decision: Start with a 7-day free trial - get premium features at no cost!