Assess risks

Risk assessment helps teams anticipate and manage potential setbacks, keeping projects on track and reducing the chance of unexpected issues.

To effectively assess risks:

• Start by categorizing risks into key areas: technical risks like integration failures, resource risks such as key team member unavailability, and external risks including vendor delays or market changes.
• Create a risk matrix that prioritizes each risk based on severity and likelihood. High-priority risks, such as critical system dependencies or tight regulatory deadlines, require detailed mitigation plans and regular monitoring. Medium-priority risks need defined triggers for action, while low-priority risks receive periodic review to ensure they haven't escalated. Each risk should have a clear owner responsible for monitoring and mitigation.
• Establish a proactive risk management process where teams regularly report potential issues before they become problems.
• Share risk insights across teams to leverage collective experience in identifying and addressing challenges. When the design team spots potential accessibility compliance risks, for example, this information helps development teams adjust their implementation plans accordingly.