Module 10 · 25 min
Risk & Issue Management
Identify risks early, escalate issues promptly, and maintain a living RAID log.
Learning objectives
- 1.Distinguish risks (future) from issues (present)
- 2.Maintain proportionate risk registers
- 3.Escalate with clear options and recommended paths
Risk culture
Risk registers fail when treated as compliance paperwork updated once. Review top risks weekly in project teams. Assign owners to mitigations. Link risks to milestones — 'If X happens, milestone Y slips by Z weeks.'
Issue escalation
An issue is a risk that materialised. Escalate when: impact exceeds team authority to fix, deadline at risk, or interinstitutional conflict blocks progress. Escalation package: situation, impact, options, recommendation.
Dependencies across DGs
Cross-DG dependencies are the silent killer of Commission timelines. Name dependency owners in other units explicitly. Put dependency milestones in shared trackers. Confirm in writing.
Key takeaways
- ★Living risk management beats annual compliance exercises
- ★Escalate issues with options, not just bad news
- ★Cross-unit dependencies require named owners and written confirmation