Ongoing Risk Management Process

During the initial phase of deployment planning, it's essential to identify possible risks, anticipate how they might affect the deployment, and explore mitigation measures. Successfully identifying these risks helps the team avoid delays and feel prepared to face potential complications.

It's important to review and update the Master Risk Assessment Document during each phase of development because, over time, new risks come to the fore while others recede. Table 13.2 is a simplified example of the type of risk matrix that might be developed in connection with the deployment process.

Table 13.2 Sample deployment risk management matrix

Description	Risk impact	Risk probability	Mitigation
If the Help Desk is understaffed, overtaxed, or undertrained, the deployment timeline will be affected.	Medium	High	To minimize the effect on the deployment, either slow it down to reduce the load on the Help Desk or increase the Help Desk staff. Proper training on deployment issues will reduce the time it takes them to handle individual calls, reducing their load.
If the support staff is understaffed, overtaxed, or undertrained, the product release and its subsequent deployment will be affected.	Medium	High	To minimize the effect on the deployment, either slow it down to reduce the load on the support staff or increase the support staff. Proper training on deployment issues will reduce the time it takes them to handle individual user issues, reducing their load.
If members of the logistics team do not have the authority to make changes to the deployment or the application, the deployment timeline will be lengthened.	High	Medium	Program Management will need to facilitate tradeoffs between the logistics team and the development team in order to effect changes to the application.
If network connectivity between the distribution servers becomes inoperable, the deployment will cease.	Medium	Low	To ensure distribution of the source code to the distribution servers, the connection must be corrected. Alternatively, the source code could be distributed via CD-ROM.
If network connectivity between the distribution server and the users becomes inoperable, the deployment will cease.	Medium	Low	To ensure deployment of the application, the connection must be corrected. Alternatively, a CD-ROM deployment method could be used.
If the server load from the deployment is too high, the installation timeframe per installation can become unacceptable.	Medium	Low	To reduce installation time and return the number of daily deployments to the client machines.
If users have difficulty with the new application, its usage will decrease.	Low	High	To reduce users frustrations with the new application, increase the amount of training or the type of training systems.