Some Project Risk Management Links
A few web
links are given below that point to useful documents or web sites.
Dr. Edmund H. Conrow and Dr. Robert N. Charette, “Opportunity Management: Be Careful What You Ask For,” Defense AT&L, Defense Acquisition University, March-April, 2008. pp. 16-19. The article critically evaluates opportunity management (OM). The article discusses that good risk management (RM) is not negative—it is positive and seeks to identify alternatives, increase program success, etc. Risk management works with project management and systems engineering to balance cost, performance, schedule, and risk. However, there is no universal definition of opportunity, and OM adds another layer of bureaucracy, competes for scarce resources, and opportunities always contain risk yet this is rarely analyzed or discussed “up front.” While OM may be helpful prior to program initiation, analyzing low risks, and in the sustainment phase, it cannot be universally applied, as can risk management. You can download the article by itself directly from the following link within the www.risk-services.com website:
Opportunity
Management: Be Careful What You Ask For
You can also download the complete
March-April, 2008 issue of Defense AT&L, from the following Defense
Acquisition University URL, then simply go to pp. 16-19 of this issue:
Defense AT&L, March-April 2008 Complete Issue
Defense Acquisition University
"Risk Management Guide for DoD Acquisition," Fifth Edition, Version
2.0, June 2003. The DAU/DSMC risk management
guide is the single best introductory document on project risk management as
applied to Department of Defense projects that exists. The material contained
in this guide is also directly applicable to a wide variety of commercial
projects, including those far from the defense sector. (Dr. Edmund H. Conrow is
a contributing author of this document.)
You may download the file directly from the following link within the
www.risk-services.com website:
Risk Management Guide for DoD Acquisition, Fifth Edition, Version 2
Defense Acquisition
University, "U. S. Department of Defense Extension to (the Project
Management Institute): "A Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge" (PMBOK® Guide), First Edition, Version 1, June 2003.
The Defense Extension includes
enhancements to the Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide, including a
number of upgrades to the Risk Management Chapter 11 (as well as other Guide
chapters), plus five new chapters on systems engineering management, software
acquisition management, logistics management, test and evaluation management,
and manufacturing management. (Dr. Edmund H. Conrow is the primary author of
the risk management chapter (11) of this document.) You may download the file directly from the following link within
the www.risk-services.com website:
U.S. DoD Extension to PMBoK ® Guide
Dr. Robert N. Charette, Laura Dwinnell, John McGarry, “Understanding the
Roots of Process Performance Failure,” CrossTalk, The Journal of Defense
Software Engineering, August 2004, pp.
18-24. This article summarizes how the results
of a Department of Defense (DoD) cross-program systemic analysis help provide
insight into the causes of recurring process shortfalls in DoD programs. The article (which I highly recommend)
discusses how risk management, systems engineering, and project management
processes are often not well implemented on DoD programs. (For example: “We
have found that many best practices such as IPTs, risk management, or
measurement are not being implemented properly on DoD programs, and as a result
may cause more problems than they solve.”
“Risk management is performed on most programs, but we found that
it is mainly for show. Risks are not communicated and the identified risks
frequently do not influence program decision making. management chapter (11) of
this document.) Go to the following DoD
Software Technology Support Center (CrossTalk) URL to download this article:
Understanding the Roots of Process Performance Failure
Air Force Space and Missile
Systems Center, "Systems Engineering Primer & Handbook," Third
Edition, July 2005. This Systems Engineering
handbook is written to provide SMC personnel with fundamental systems
engineering concepts and techniques as they apply to space, launch, and ground
control systems and the SMC environment. The intended audience includes the
project officer, junior systems engineer, an engineer in another discipline
that must perform Systems Engineering functions, or the experienced engineer
who needs a suitable reference. The
authors recognize that systems engineering subject matter is very broad and
that approaches to performing systems engineering vary greatly. This exposition
is not intended to cover them all. It addresses general concepts and common
processes, tools, and techniques that are mostly familiar to SMC. It also
provides information on recommended systems engineering practices and pitfalls
to avoid. Many references are provided for the reader to consult for more
in-depth knowledge. (Dr. Edmund H. Conrow is the primary author of the risk
management section of this document.) The PDF file provided is the
1 July 2005 update which includes corrections vs the initial printing of 29
April 2005. (The file is posted on the
DAU website as 29 April 2005, but when you download the file and open it in
Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat, go to the File, Properties, Description page
you’ll see that the file was created on 1 July 2005.) Go to the following Defense
Acquisition University link to download this Handbook:
Air Force SMC Systems Engineering Primer & Handbook, Third Edition, 2005
With IE8, you may
click on the option that says “Continue to this website (not recommended),” then the PDF file will
begin to download. Note: Should you go to this DAU website and
download the file, you do so at your own risk.
By clicking on the above link or otherwise downloading the file you
absolve Edmund H. Conrow, www.risk-services.com,
and Management and Technology Associates of any and all liability.
Defense Acquisition
University, "Systems Engineering Fundamentals," January 2001. The Fundamentals of Systems Engineering currently
available reflects the 5000 series changes as of January 2001. Topics include
the systems engineering process; system analysis and control; and planning for,
organizing, and managing systems. The guide provides a basic, conceptual-level
description of Systems Engineering as it relates to the development and life
cycle management of a system--including basic concepts, problem-solving, tools
to balance the process, and issues integral to the Systems Engineering
effort. Go to the following Defense Acquisition
University URL to download the document:
System Engineering Fundamentals (January 2001)
Andy W. Marshall and William
H. Meckling, “Predictability of the Costs, Time, and Success of Development,”
The Rand Corporation, P-1821, 11 December 1959. An
outstanding early study of cost, performance, and schedule variations that
occur during the course of development in DoD programs. Although now more than
50 years old, the Marshall and Meckling observations are still relevant today.
(The numerical data presented in the Paper is, however, dated and should not be
used.) Go to the following RAND URL to download this Paper:
Predictability of the Costs, Time, and Success of Development
Palisade web site. Palisade is a key source for risk analysis software
and solutions. Go to the following URL to jump to Palisade and scroll down to
Ed Conrow listing, then visit other portions of this web site:
Edmund H. Conrow, Consultants Directory Palisade
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Links to Project Risk Management Services |
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Risk Management Links |
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Second Edition of Dr. Conrow's Risk Management Book with Reviews |
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Risk Management e-Interview by International
Council on Systems Engineering |
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Links to Other Services |
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