Risk management expectations in projects
The foundation of a project: How do you set a project off on the right track?
Projects are happening all the time across the world. Delivering any project successfully – regardless of size, cost or nature – means it must be built with the right foundation. Effective risk management plays an important part and is necessary for a successful project.
Estelle Detrembleur is Associate Director at Mace, with over 20 years’ experience working with project-driving initiatives; predominantly within the area of environment and technology.
We spoke with her about some of the most important considerations when attempting to manage risk at the start of a project:
What are the risk management expectations?
Client and stakeholders’ expectations need to be considered as early as possible in the project management life cycle. Risk management expectations depend on the complexity of the project as well as the level of risk management requirements for the project. Consider whether this affects governance and the management plans (i.e. do you need a risk executive committee or other committees to assist in reviewing the risks on the projects), as well as how often risks are reviewed at what level and how they are reported.
What do you know about risk and is there capability within the team?
Establish the risk culture from top down and bottom up and train your team to have a risk management approach. Risk management is not for everyone, so find those that like it.
Do you have the resources?
As risk management matures throughout the project, skill set and resources evolve. Prepare a resource plan against the schedule. Develop a training programme and find a risk champion to support team members during the delivery of the programme.
What are the project objectives, risk appetite and tolerance?
The objectives of the project or programme are linked with the three main project risk types: cost, schedule and performance. When talking about risk appetite and tolerance, it’s important to understand the amount of risk the project or programme is willing to accept to achieve its objectives; this is the risk appetite. The risk tolerance is the acceptable deviation from the project or programme risk appetite.
Project professionals need to manage risk considerations at the beginning to support the project plans and objectives, such as understanding the risk management principles and processes.
Further Information
Estelle is a committee member of APM’s Specific Interest Group (SIG) on Risk and is also an accredited Risk Practitioner through APM. If risk management is your specialism or an area you’d like to learn more about, you can follow or volunteer with APM’s Risk SIG.
You can read about the different categories of risk management, the risk processes and access additional risk resources on APM’s What is risk management? page.
This article first appeared on the APM news and blog as "The foundation of a project: How do you set a project off on the right track?' on August 24, 2022.
--Association for Project Management
Related articles on Designing Buildings
- APM articles.
- Contingency plan.
- Design risk management.
- Interface risk in construction.
- Non-technical risk.
- Principles of prevention.
- Project risks and programme risks.
- Retained risk.
- Risk assessments and method statements.
- Risk assessment.
- Risk feedback.
- Risk mapping.
- Risk management
- Risk management in building design and construction.
- Risk register.
Featured articles and news
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure bill oulined
With reactions from IHBC and others on its potential impacts.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.
Comments