Risk Management

Part of any successful company activity is the management of risk. In both Genesys and the Software Hut, this is an important activity. XP raises a number of different issues with the traditional design-led approaches. We have, in the past, carried out two phases of risk analysis. At the start of the project, the teams are asked to carry out a risk analysis for their project; then they record the results and create their work plan in light of these results. After seven weeks, there is a second risk analysis exercise, which is influenced by the problems and successes of the project during the intervening period. The plan is then altered to suit the circumstances. At this stage, the scope of the project is usually reduced because some of the desirable requirements in the original plan are downgraded to being optional. With XP this process may need to be more continual, and it is an area we wish to consider.