Risk Prioritization
A core risk management activity where identified risks are assessed and ranked so the most significant ones are selected for targeted actions in the Prioritized Product Backlog.
Key Points
- Ranks risks based on factors like probability, impact, and urgency.
- Determines which risks receive specific responses in the Prioritized Product Backlog.
- Uses lightweight techniques (e.g., probability-impact matrix, risk exposure) suited to agile cadence.
- Is iterative; risk rankings and backlog items are revisited each sprint/release as new information emerges.
Example
During sprint planning, the team reviews its risk list for a new payments module. A potential compliance penalty is rated high likelihood and high impact, while a UI performance concern is medium. The team adds a mitigation spike and a compliance review task to the Prioritized Product Backlog near the top, assigning an owner and due date, while deferring the UI risk to a later sprint.
PMP Example Question
Which action best demonstrates Risk Prioritization in an agile project?
- Documenting all identified risks without ranking them and storing them in a shared folder.
- Ranking risks by impact and likelihood and placing the highest-priority responses into the Prioritized Product Backlog.
- Creating detailed response plans for every risk regardless of severity.
- Closing all low-priority risks at the end of the project.
Correct Answer: B — Ranking risks and queuing top responses in the backlog
Explanation: Risk Prioritization focuses on evaluating and ordering risks so that the most critical ones receive specific action items in the Prioritized Product Backlog.
