ROAM

 

Hand Drawn Chart Saturday

I once asked the question, “Has the adoption of Agile techniques magically erased risk from software projects?” The obvious answer is no, however Agile has provided a framework and tools to reduce the overall level of performance variance. Even if we can reduce risk by damping the variance driven by complexity, the size of the work, process discipline and people, we still need to “ROAM” the remaining risks. ROAM is a model that helps teams identify risks. Applying the model, a team would review each risk and classify then as:

  • Resolved, the risk has been answered and avoided or eliminated.
  • Owned, someone has accepted the responsibility for doing something about the risk.
  • Accepted, the risk has been understood and the team has agreed that nothing will be done about it.
  • Mitigated, something has been done so that the probability or potential impact is reduced.

When we consider any risk we need to recognize the two attributes: impact and probability.  Impact is what will happen if the risk becomes something tangible. Impacts are typically monetized or stated as the amount of effort needed to correct the problem if it occurs. The size of the impact can vary depending on when the risk occurs. For example, if we suddenly decide that the system architecture will not scale to the level required during sprint 19, the cost in rework would be higher than if that fact were discovered in sprint 2. Probability is the likelihood a risk will become an issue. In a similar manner to impact, probability varies over time.

We defined risk as “any uncertain event that can have an impact on the success of a project.” Does using Agile change our need to recognize and mitigate risk?  No, but instead of a classic risk management plan and a risk log, a more Agile approach to risk management might be generating additional user stories. While Agile techniques reduce some forms of risk we still need to be vigilant. Adding risks to the project or program backlog will help ensure there is less chance of variability and surprises.