HKSM
Risk Register
A centralized document or database that captures and maintains all outputs produced by the project's risk management processes.
Key Points
- Stores details for each risk: description, cause, triggers, probability, impact, owner, response strategy, and status.
- Living document updated across the project lifecycle; supports ongoing risk reviews and reporting.
- Feeds planning decisions such as response plans, contingency and management reserves, and schedule/cost updates.
- Different from the issue log and assumption log: it tracks uncertain events, not realized problems or assumptions.
Example
A construction project team maintains a risk register listing a potential permit delay (30% likelihood, high impact) with a mitigation of early submission and weekly follow-ups, owned by the permits coordinator, plus a contingency to resequence non-dependent tasks. It also records a weather-related risk with trigger conditions, planned responses (temporary covers), and current status from the latest risk review.
PMP Example Question
Which artifact primarily documents identified threats and opportunities, their analysis, owners, planned responses, and current status?
- Risk Register
- Issue Log
- Assumption Log
- Change Log
Correct Answer: A — Risk Register
Explanation: The risk register is the repository for outputs of risk management processes, including risk identification, analysis, responses, and monitoring. The other logs serve different purposes.
