Project managers in small, medium or large organisations apply the skills and knowledge in this unit to ensure the appropriate identification and treatment of risks within an IT project.
Their job roles combine high-level management, business and technical skills necessary to manage complex technology projects within the information and communications technology (ICT) industry.
Not applicable.
1. Identify project risks | 1.1 Review project planning documents, organisational risk policies and relevant lessons learned from earlier projects 1.2 Identify major project risks and potential sources of project risk 1.3 Establish relevant risk management processes and procedures 1.4 Develop a project risk management plan, including a risk register in consultation with stakeholder and obtain sign-off |
2. Treat project risks | 2.1 Assess the likelihood of the risk occurring and the resulting consequence of the risk 2.2 Develop risk response strategies and contingency measures as appropriate 2.3 Incorporate risk response actions and contingency measures into the risk register and project schedule in consultation with stakeholders and obtain sign-off |
3. Monitor project risks | 3.1 Undertake activities to monitor the risk factors or identified events as the project progresses 3.2 Establish formal risk reviews at appropriate intervals or project milestones 3.3 Update risk register and raise project change requests to update baseline project schedule as required |
Required skills
analytical skills to identify risks, risk mitigations and contingency plans
communication skills to:
negotiate and communicate plans and identified risks and mitigations to stakeholders
run project risk workshops and presentations
initiative and enterprise skills to prioritise and manage stakeholder expectations
literacy skills to:
develop risk management plans
write recommendations and reports.
Required knowledge
methods and techniques of risk management
organisational policies relating to risk and organisational risk appetite
processes and techniques of business analysis
project management and systems development techniques, as well as potential risks associated with these activities.
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: identify and implement appropriate risk-management processes within a complex IT project. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: appropriate learning and assessment support when required modified equipment for people with special needs appropriate simulated or real organisation to implement an IT project facilities suitable for holding risk management related workshops. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct observation of the candidate carrying out project work verbal or written questioning to assess required knowledge and skills review of reports, plans and documents review of a portfolio of the project work undertaken. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support. In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. |
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Sources of project risk may include: | change risks, such as: changes to project scope not approved (scope creep) solution uncertainty people risks, such as loss of key resource procurement risks, such as required equipment not delivered on time quality risks, such as delivered solution not meeting requirements or expectations schedule or budget risks, such as time or cost of scheduled tasks underestimated technology risks, such as new or untried technology as part of the solution, components difficult to integrate. |
Risk management processes and procedures may include: | communicating with stakeholders dispute resolution and modification procedures implementing risk control trigger mechanisms measuring actual progress against planned milestones recording and reporting major variance setting key milestones at significant points during the project and at completion. |
Risk response strategies may include: | accept the risk or continue in the knowledge that the risk still exists avoid the risk or take action to eliminate the risk mitigate or take action to reduce the risk. |
IT project management
This unit contains employability skills.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.