This presentation is an overview of the risk management process implemented for Sprint planning.

1. IEE Risk Identification
Task-level Risk for Sprint Planning
Nov. 19, 2013

2. RISK MANAGEMENT
» Purpose: Add risk planning to the sprint planning meetings
» This deck includes:
• Refresher of risk management process
• Understand steps necessary for risk planning at the task-level
• Understand how to create and write a risk
• Define mitigation vs. contingency plans
• Identify expectations for tracking and monitoring
Sprint Planning

3. RISK DEFINITION
» What is risk?
• Risk is exposure to a problem; an uncertain event that if occurs will
impact the success of the project (functionality, cost, schedule, etc.)
» What’s the difference between risk and an issue?
• Risk is unknown and an issue is known. An issue may result from
risk and/or create new risk.
» If ‘uncertainty X’ happens, ‘impact Y’ will result.

4. RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS
Task Level for Sprint Planning
Perform Risk
Identification
Perform Risk
Analysis
Plan Risk
Response
Monitor and
Control Risks
Close Risks
Review Risk
Areas
Identify
Potential Risks
Write Risk
Statements
Analyze List of
Risk
Statements
Identify Risks
to Track
Enter Risks in
TFS
Complete
Description &
Data
Plan
Mitigation,
Create tasks
ID Triggers,
Plan
Contingencies
Execute
Mitigation
Tasks
Communicate
with Team
Track Changes
in TFS
Triggers
Expired
Tasks
Completed
Breakdowns
Resolved
Score
Probability &
Impact
Breakdowns
Trigger
Contingencies
Record
Lessons
Learned

5. CATEGORIES OF RISK
Focus of Task Risks Release
Project
Technical
Technology
Integration
Performance
Quality
External
Vendors
Regulations
Market
Customer
Org
Dependencies
Resources
Budget
Priority
Proj Mgmt
Estimates
Plan
Control
Communication
Requirements
Experience
Mgmt Advocacy
Process
Schedule

6. RISK OWNERS
» External and Business Risks: PLM, Directors, Sales
» Organizational Risks: Directors, Managers
» Project Management Risks: Project Managers, Managers
» PBI Risks: Product Owners, Sprint Teams
» Tasks Risks: Sprint Teams
PBIs/Tasks are Focus of Sprint Teams

7. CREATING A RISK ITEM
» From the Task, create the
linked Risk item.
» The Task will be Affected
by the Risk.
TFS Risk WIT
1
2
3

8. CREATING A RISK ITEM
TFS Risk WIT (Cont.)
» Will be linked to the task if you
started it from the task links
menu
» Probability allows 1 – 100. For
simplicity, use 25(%) for Low, 50
for Med and 75 for High. We’ll get
more precise over time
» Likewise, Impact allows 1
through 10, but just use 10 for
High, 5 for Medium and 1 for Low
» Stick with Dev, Doc and SQA
‘Risk to’ options
» Leave Severity on default. We’re
not going to use it for now.
*These options are changing soon!
*
*

9. UPCOMING WIT CHANGES
TFS Risk WIT (Cont.)
» Priority: Remove Priority from the form
» Severity: Remove Severity from the form
» Risk to: Replace current dropdown menu options with: Requirements,
Performance, Customer, Release, Test, Dependency
» Probability: Remove ‘(1-100)’ from the tag; change the field to be a
dropdown with options of High, Medium and Low; set default to
Medium
» Impact: Replace all current dropdown options with of High, Medium
and Low; set default
to Medium

10. MITIGATION AND CONTINGENCY PLANS
» We’ve identified risks. Now what? Mitigation Planning!
• Avoid the consequences of a risk by having a mitigation plan. This plan should be added
to your current task (design, dev, etc.) to ensure the risk doesn’t materialize.
» It happened anyway! Now what? Declare a breakdown and perform the Contingency Plan.
• The mitigation plan wasn’t enough. Now fall back on Plan B: the Contingency Plan. This
is the plan you enable AFTER the risk has become a real issue. Your task is now in a
state of breakdown.
» Example:
• Risk: If my pants are too big, they will fall down causing embarrassment and offense.
• Mitigation Plan: I shall wear a belt to keep my pants up.
• Contingency Plan: If they still fall down, I’m going to need to wear suspenders.
• Trigger: Event
• Cost of contingency: Estimated $20 - $40

11. MONITOR AND CONTROL
Risk / Breakdown Handling
Sprint Planning Task Execution Demo Retrospective
Risk ID Analysis Response Planning Risk Monitor and Control Risk Closing Lessons
Learned
Major breakdowns impact
other teams, components
or the release; Team must
report up to PO, Mgr, PM
Monitor for breakdowns;
handle task breakdowns
within the Sprint Team
ID, Analyze and Plan early
PBI
Task or
WR

12. UPDATING WITH EXCEL
» Use Excel to track, update status and publish back to TFS – your preference.
» Scrum Master can query all related risks and update en masse during status meetings
» Risks should have a lifecycle within the sprint. They should be closed once the trigger passes
(usually a date or event) or the contingency corrects the breakdown.
» Monitor all risks until closed. Keep the overall risk assessment ‘green’ by improving the
average risk exposure. Mitigating should lessen the probability and impact so updates should
improve the Risk Item status.
Expectations for monitoring

13. RISK AREAS
» Extended Data: Risk: High-level Identification (Web view), Risk: High-level
Identification (OneNote)
» IDM: IDM Risk Area Identification (Web view), IDM Risk Area Identification
(OneNote)

14. THANK YOU
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