---
title: "Risk identification techniques"
subject: "ICT Project Management"
chapter: 12
key: "semester_7/ict_project_management:risk-identification-techniques"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/risk-identification-techniques
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Risk identification techniques

ICT Project Management · Chapter 12: Project Risk Management

- Asked in: year not given
- Video: [Risk Identification: Find Project Risks FAST!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iELLdd6Yr4Y) — Online PM Courses - Mike Clayton
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/risk-identification-techniques
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/ict_project_management/chapter-12

## Question

What are risk identification techniques?

## Short answer

Risk identification is an iterative process involving the team, stakeholders, and experts. It employs documentation reviews, brainstorming, Delphi, interviews, root cause analysis, checklists, assumptions analysis, diagramming, SWOT, expert judgment, and prompt lists to produce a risk register.

## Answer

**Risk identification** determines which risks may affect the project and documents their characteristics. It is iterative and involves the team, stakeholders and experts. The output is the risk register. The common techniques are as follows.

1. **Documentation reviews**: study project plans, assumptions, contracts, lessons learned from previous projects to find inconsistencies.
2. **Information gathering techniques**
   - **Brainstorming**: team generates a list of risks freely, usually by category.
   - **Delphi technique**: anonymous expert consensus over multiple rounds.
   - **Interviews**: experienced managers and stakeholders.
   - **Root cause analysis**: find underlying causes, then identify related risks.
3. **Checklist analysis**: use a list built from similar past projects and a risk breakdown structure; quick but may not be exhaustive.
4. **Assumptions analysis**: test the validity of project assumptions; incomplete or inaccurate assumptions give risks.
5. **Diagramming techniques**
   - **Cause-and-effect (Ishikawa/fishbone) diagrams**.
   - **System or process flow charts**.
   - **Influence diagrams** showing causal influences.
6. **SWOT analysis**: weaknesses and threats become risks, strengths and opportunities become positive risks.
7. **Expert judgment**: advice from experienced people.
8. **Prompt lists / risk breakdown structure** to prompt thinking (technical, external, organisational).
9. **Scenario analysis and simulations**.

| Technique | Strength |
|---|---|
| Brainstorming | Many ideas fast |
| Delphi | Unbiased expert view |
| Checklist | Quick, uses history |
| SWOT | Internal and external view |
| Fishbone | Finds causes |

```text
Inputs (plans, history) -> Techniques -> Risk register
```

#### Output
**Risk register** listing risks, potential responses, root causes, categories and updated risk categories.

**Example:** A team brainstorming risks for a new payment app lists "API downtime", "regulatory change" and "poor adoption", then checks a checklist from earlier fintech projects to add "data breach".

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is the main output of risk identification?
   A. Risk management plan
   B. Risk register
   C. Probability-impact matrix
   D. Contingency reserve
   Answer: B. Risk identification produces the risk register listing risks, root causes, categories and potential responses. (Key point: Output of identification)

2. What characterises the Delphi technique?
   A. Open group discussion led by the manager
   B. Anonymous expert consensus over multiple rounds
   C. Using a checklist from past projects
   D. Drawing cause-and-effect diagrams
   Answer: B. Delphi gathers anonymous expert opinions over several rounds to reach consensus, reducing bias. (Key point: Delphi technique)

3. What is the main drawback of checklist analysis?
   A. It is very slow
   B. It needs anonymous experts
   C. It may not be exhaustive
   D. It cannot use past projects
   Answer: C. Checklists are quick and use history but may miss risks not seen in earlier projects. (Key point: Checklist limitation)

4. In SWOT analysis for risk identification, what do weaknesses and threats become?
   A. Positive risks
   B. Risks
   C. Assumptions
   D. Constraints
   Answer: B. Weaknesses and threats become risks, while strengths and opportunities become positive risks. (Key point: SWOT in risk identification)

## Related in other subjects

- [Tools and techniques for risk identification](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Arisk-identification-tools-techniques) — Project Engineering, chapter 5, asked 2×
- [Risk identification and analysis, rural road](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Arisk-identify-analyse-rural-road) — Project Engineering, chapter 5
- [Risk transfer, reduction as response techniques](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Arisk-transfer-reduction-response-justify) — Project Engineering, chapter 5, asked 2×