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This post covers the output of the process 11.6 Implement Risk Responses, which is part of the executing process group for risk management.

In this process, the risk responses that were planned in process 11.5 Plan Risk Responses   are actually implemented if the underlying risk is triggered.   If that risk response requires resources and/or time to implement, you must make a change to the cost and schedule baselines to reflect the additional time and/or cost incurred (see paragraph 11.6.3.1 below).

Of course, there are some risk responses which require additional time and/or cost incurred even if the risk does not occur, mainly because you are trying to reduce the probability of a risk occurring and/or the impact of that risk if it were to occur.   An example is:   if the data you have from a client is valuable and should not be lost, then you may want to pay the expense of having a mirror server which will take that data at the end of each day and copy it onto a server which is not in the same location.   When I was working for an insurance company that was in Los Angeles, this was done to prevent data loss in case of an earthquake.   It would not make sense to send the data to a server that is merely in another building across the street, so we sent it to a remote site that would not be effected if the local area had an earthquake.   Although this was an expense that we incurred even if an earthquake did not occur, it was considered a good idea to implement this risk response beforehand in order to mitigate the damage if one were to occur.

If there are any issues encountered in the implementation of the risk, or if there are any changes made to the risk response in the course of implementing it, you also need to update the appropriate project documents (see paragraph 11.6.3.2 below).

11.6.3  Implement Risk Responses:   Tools and Techniques

11.6.3.1  Change Requests

If a risk response is implemented because the underlying risk has been triggered and it is a contingent risk response (meaning that it is only implemented if the risk occurs), then a change request may need to be done to update the cost and schedule baselines of the project management plan in order to account for the additional cost and/or expense.   The scope management plan, particular the Work Breakdown Structure, may also have to be amended to account for the additional activities required in the risk response.

11.6.3.2  Project Document Updates

• Issue log–if issues are uncovered in the implementation of risk responses, then these issues are recorded in the issue log.
• Lessons learned register–if challenges are encountered when implementing risk responses, then information is added to the lessons learned register on how to avoid those challenges or on approaches that worked well when confronting them.
• Project team assignments–the resources associated with the risk response are allocated, including the personnel required to implement them.
• Risk register–if there are any changes to the risk responses made in the course of implementing them, these changes are recorded in the risk register used by the project team.
• Risk report–if there are any changes to the risk responses made in the course of implementing them, these changes are recorded in the risk report that is send to stakeholders.

The next process group is monitoring and controlling, which in the case of risk management gives us the next and final process 11.7 Monitor Risks.   It not only is used for monitoring the implementation of agreed-upon risk responses plans, but for tracking identified risks (whether they occur or not), and periodically reviewing the risks on the project to see if there are any new risks that need to be added to the register.   Also, the effectiveness of the risk process is evaluated during the process.

The inputs to this process 11.7 Monitor Risks will be discussed in the next post.

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