The Three "C"s of Unanticipated Risk
Establish Balance / Reimagine Workplace / Elicit Breakthrough / Encourage Learning / By HybridTeam.co
Effective project management involves acknowledging that despite careful planning, unforeseen risks may arise. It is important to remain vigilant and promptly incorporate new risks into the risk management plan. Unforeseen risks can typically be attributed to one of three factors, referred to as the 3 “Cs” of Unanticipated Risk.
- Change is frequent and requires a response, which can increase project risk and result in unknown outcomes. Responding to change carries higher risk in a project. Change can occur at inconvenient times and impact all project monitors. When dealing with change, evaluate the impact and new risks, and incorporate them into backup planning. The Managing Change Worksheet facilitates communication with the project team to develop an “early warning” change system.
- Not being prepared for a capability gap can be a dangerous risk. Capability risk is typically linked to project personnel who are expected to have specific skills and knowledge but are not proficient. This creates an unanticipated risk. Additionally, a system or process that is supposed to support the project but lacks the expected capability is another source of risk. To identify and address the most likely capability risks, use the Managing Capability Worksheet.
