Risk Register Setup Checklist
Make a checklist for setting up and running a risk register: agree the scales, identify and rate risks, give each an owner and response, and review it regularly.
- Free
- No sign-up to try
- Works as you type
5 stages, 19 steps
1. Set up
- Choose where the register lives and who can edit it
- Agree the columns: risk, cause, likelihood, impact, owner, response, status
- Agree a simple likelihood and impact scale with clear definitions
- Agree the score at which a risk is escalated
2. Identify
- Run a session with the team and key stakeholders
- Review lessons from similar past projects
- Write each risk as cause, event and effect
- Merge duplicates and drop risks that are really current issues
3. Assess
- Rate each risk's likelihood and impact on the agreed scale
- Rank the risks by score
- Check the ratings with the people closest to each risk
4. Respond
- Name an owner for each risk
- Choose a response: avoid, reduce, transfer or accept
- Write the actions and their due dates
- Note the early warning signs to watch for
5. Review
- Review the top risks at a regular team meeting
- Update ratings and status as things change
- Close risks that have passed, with a note
- Escalate risks above the agreed score
Free, no sign-up to try. Your checklist becomes a Room you can edit, publish and share.
How it works
How the Risk Register Setup Checklist works
- 1
Pick the stages
Keep the stages you need and name an owner for each.
- 2
Add your own steps
Add steps specific to your team or product.
- 3
Share the checklist
Create a Room everyone ticks off together from one link.
Worked example
What it makes
1. Set up
Agree how risks will be recorded and rated.
- Choose where the register lives and who can edit it
- Agree the columns: risk, cause, likelihood, impact, owner, response, status
- Agree a simple likelihood and impact scale with clear definitions
- Agree the score at which a risk is escalated
2. Identify
Get the real risks written down.
- Run a session with the team and key stakeholders
- Review lessons from similar past projects
- Write each risk as cause, event and effect
- Merge duplicates and drop risks that are really current issues
3. Assess
Know which risks matter most.
- Rate each risk's likelihood and impact on the agreed scale
- Rank the risks by score
- Check the ratings with the people closest to each risk
4. Respond
Every important risk has an owner and a plan.
- Name an owner for each risk
- Choose a response: avoid, reduce, transfer or accept
- Write the actions and their due dates
- Note the early warning signs to watch for
5. Review
Keep the register alive, not filed away.
- Review the top risks at a regular team meeting
- Update ratings and status as things change
- Close risks that have passed, with a note
- Escalate risks above the agreed score
Who it's for
Who uses it
Project managers
Set up a register the team will actually keep up to date.
Operations leads
Run regular risk reviews with owners and actions.
Sponsors
Know when a risk should be escalated to them.
Good to know
What to consider
- This is a step-by-step checklist for setting up and running a register; keep the register itself in a spreadsheet or your project tool.
- Keep the scales simple: three to five levels are enough for most teams.
Questions
About the Risk Register Setup Checklist
Does it include the register spreadsheet?
No. It tells you which columns and scales to set up and how to run the register. Keep the register itself in a spreadsheet or project tool.
Where do the steps come from?
From a step library written and reviewed by people, not generated per visitor. Pick the stages you need, name an owner for each and add your own steps.
Make your checklist now
Free, no sign-up to try. It becomes a Room you can edit, publish and share.
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