The document provides guidance on facilitating a risk assessment workshop. It recommends developing a solid risk register to manage risks and prioritize work. It describes how to identify risks, evaluate their likelihood and consequences, assign risk owners, and develop risk mitigation actions. Developing a risk register and actively monitoring risks can help projects stay on track and experience fewer surprises.

1. Facilitation scenariosMajor project
Risk assessment
The project is underway. You can’t afford any surprises and
must start to prioritise and manage your risks. You need a solid
risk register to drive your work.

2. I came to appreciate technical risk while working as a chemical engineer in the steel industry. Yet it
was while studying for my MBA my perception of risk broadened substantially. I saw the power of
understanding not just technical risks but all the relevant project risks – and that there would be fewer
surprises. I could see that, as a team, we would know what to focus on and could develop plans in case
something went wrong.
Risk has now become part of mainstream business language and risk registers are living documents
and actively monitored. Sounds simple now but, in reality, all we had to do was decide to take risk
seriously, promote its value and provide active support and resources. And make a commitment to
lead from the front.
Once people own the risks, promises can be kept. Everyone knows what is important, projects are more
likely to be successful and the business itself will be more successful. Hope these tips will be useful for
you as a Manager.
Kanchana Bishop
Sensibly managing risk is central to every successful project because, to be effective, identifying risks and
managing them requires every team member to take ownership. It’s not an afterthought or a task you can
delegate to an individual team member, Risk has to be everybody’s business – every day.
In fact, risk is inherent in everything we do – whether at home in our daily lives or in the workplace as we
strive for success.
About the author
For updates on new scenariosand tools go to:www.trihelix.com.auFor further information on how we can
help your business achieve sustainableproject success contact:
Kanchana BishopEmail: kbishop@trihelix.com.au
I have worked across Energy, Mining, Infrastructure,
Engineering and Processing industries helping businesses
to use risk management innovatively and practically to
improve their business outcomes.
1 Introduction

3. Facilitation scenarios
These common facilitation scenarios are like recipes for project success.
They have been collected over many years and are now recommended as
part of most organisation's project lifecycle documentation.
Each scenario has a specific purpose, with detailed tools to help with their
execution. It is set out on a two-page spread that describes what, why
and how to use the scenario and lists tips and hints, typical duration and
the required tools necessary to deliver an effective workshop.
The tools within this facilitation scenario have been taken from the book
“Facilitating for success – A managers guide to projects”. The tools are
listed in order of use and hence the page numbers may not be sequential.
The book describes 41 facilitation scenarios just like this example. To
facilitate this scenario simply print these pages and plan and deliver
your own session.
Project success through leadership
Are you a technical manager who has always wanted to achieve project
success by becoming a highly effective leader?
Well this book is for you. It provides a simple, yet powerful step-by-step
methodology that will walk you through how to become a highly
effective leader.
In David’s third book he describes the Project Fundamentals an effective
leader must apply to deliver project success. The insights have been
collected over his long career and more recently through 70 interviews
with current managers.
What others have had to say about ‘Project success through leadership’...
“The book will appeal to those taking a step into project management, or
as a refresher for those in functional management positions, in providing
some practical improvement tools and leadership concepts to bring about
project success.” – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
If you have always wanted to experience consistent project success, be a
highly effective leader, get interesting, challenging and rewarding work,
and realise your full potential, then this book is the answer.
About the book
Introduction 2

4. 43 Chapter 3 – Facilitation scenarios
A risk assessment workshop is designed to systematically identify possible risks to the project, understand their causes, and decide
on actions to minimise the risks and protect our business or project.
The outcome is a list of prioritised risks with actions specifically to manage the threats to our project and maximise the opportunities.
Why use it?
Risks affect all aspects of our work and their consequences can be both positive and negative. As risks are part of day to day work
and unavoidable, our success will be based on how well they are analysed and managed. A risk assessment workshop ensures that
the team identifies these risks, both threats and opportunities. They then evaluate these risks by assessing their consequence and
likelihood to establish the critical risks to our project. Actions are created to effectively manage the critical threats and maximise
the critical opportunities.
A risk assessment can also provide a project risk profile that can be compared with other projects which consequently helps with
investment decisions. Individual risk profiles can also be created to compare various options within a project to assist in selecting
which option should be investigated further.
A risk assessment can also help us protect our project plan by identifying possible risks (resource shortage and approval delay) in
advance and create actions to manage the risk. These actions are then budgeted, resourced, scheduled and incorporated into an
overall project plan. This ensures they get done and increase the likelihood of our project being completed on time, within budget,
and meeting the required performance specifications.
Typical health and safety risk assessment rating table
The key to risk
management is to prioritise
and focus on the critical
risks. Manage these risks
well and our project will
remain on track with very
few surprises.
How should I use it?
Pre-work:
1. Work with the project sponsor to design and plan the workshop using the planning tools
2. Create a workshop communications deck including the project objectives at risk, the risk analysis assumptions (what's in and
out), risk assessment success factors and ask the sponsor to send it to the participants; this raises the importance of the activity
3. Establish a risk threshold; risks that exceed this must be evaluated and have actions assigned
4. Establish a risk structure; when identifying risks they will be categorised using the structure
5. Create workshop posters, the risk register template and arrange a scribe to be ready for the workshop.
Risk assessment
Likelihood of
injury or harm
to health
Consequences of any injury or harm to health
Insignificant
e.g., no harm
Moderate
e.g., first aid
Major
e.g., extensive injuries
Catastrophic
e.g., death
Very likely High Extreme Extreme Extreme
Likely Moderate High Extreme Extreme
Moderate Low High Extreme Extreme
Unlikely Low Moderate High Extreme
Highly Unlikely Low Moderate High High
Risk Rating Table
Extreme = immediate action

5. 44Chapter 3 – Facilitation scenarios
The workshop steps:
1. Bring everyone onto the same page using the SPACER tool
2. Provide a common understanding of the project background
3. Review the project objectives, risk analysis assumptions and success factors
4. Provide a common understanding of the risk analysis process
5. Identify risks using the risk structure and channel brainstorming
6. Identify at a high level which risks exceed the project risk threshold
7. For the risks that exceed the threshold:
• Identify the causes, impacts and existing controls
• Evaluate the likelihood and consequence of each risk using the organisation's risk rating table
• Identify risk owners and risk mitigation actions
8. Document the next steps to be completed outside the workshop including risk reporting and risk updates including
communicating the outcomes
9. Wrap up the workshop and capture feedback using the plus/deltas tool.
Post workshop:
1. Nominated scribe to populate the risk register during the workshop
2. Facilitator to finalise the risk register
3. The sponsor is to validate the risk register and issue to the project team
4. Project team to execute the risk actions, complete risk reporting and complete updates as required.
Tips and hints:
• The risk structure can be tailored to focus the analysis. For example there are many different risk structures including HSEC
risks, technical risks, compliance risks and project lifecycle stage risks. Work with the sponsor to choose the best structure for
the risk analysis.
• The risk threshold helps us to focus on the critical risks only. For example, a risk threshold is shown in the graphic where
an extreme risk requires immediate action. Work with the sponsor to establish this cut off point (risk threshold) using the
organisation's risk rating table.
• When evaluating a number of options as part of a risk assessment, it is important to flag which option is affected by which
risk to enable individual risk profiles that can allow comparison of options.
• Documenting the risk register can take significant time. It is necessary to get it right so people outside the workshop will
understand the risk meaning and prioritisation.
Tools used:
All facilitation style toolsAll workshop planning toolsCommunications deck toolWhat's in/out of scope toolChannel Brainstorming toolCommunication plan tool
Facilitation Technical AcceptanceRefer to 'project success tools at a glance'on page 246
Duration:
The length of the workshop will depend on the size of the
project. Good workshop planning and pre-work will reduce
the workshop duration as the team are more focused.
A major project will require 8 hours for an initial project risk
workshop and then similar sessions to focus on HSEC and
technical risks.
A minor project will need half the time as the scope and
numbers of people involved are less.

6. 213 Chapter 6 - The facilitation work
A communications deck is a brief document that helps participants to understand the workshop purpose and logistics. The
outcome is a one page document that describes the workshop purpose, workshop process, next steps after the workshop, agenda,
venue location and timing.
Why use it?
Often people are invited to a workshop and do not know why they are there. The invitation comes out the day before and the
location is not clear and people turn up late. This sets the workshop off on the wrong foot and wastes valuable time. Sending a well
thought out communications deck ensures the participants are informed and know what is expected of them.
The process of building this communications deck with your sponsor brings significant alignment around what the workshop is trying
to achieve. Asking what we are doing, why we are doing it and where we want to be at the end of the workshop forces your sponsor
to clarify their own thinking. This clarity will then drive the workshop design, who should attend and how long the session should be.
How should I use it?
1. Work with the project sponsor to create a workshop elevator speech
2. Based on these discussions build a "case for change" to position the workshop as part of a larger effort
3. Describe the workshop process that will achieve the outcomes
4. Document a high level workshop agenda with max five to seven topics, include start and finish times and lunch
5. Describe what happens next with the workshop outcomes building from the case for change
6. Document the name and address of the workshop venue and key contact name
7. Compile this into a one pager and validate with your sponsor
8. Mark up any changes and your sponsor can then send this out with a personal invitation to communicate the importance
of the workshop.
Tips and hints:
• Often it is best for your sponsor to send out a place holder early in the workshop planning to lock in some dates and
understand people's availability
• Once the communications deck is prepared then the sponsor can send this closer to the workshop date (5 days before) to
confirm all the details and re-engage the participants
• Do not underestimate the value of building this deck as it helps your sponsor think through what is important.
• Once you have built your first communications deck it can become a template and be modified for each workshop
you facilitate..
Communications deck

7. 122Chapter 4 – The technical work
What's in and out of scope is designed to jointly identify the scope and project boundaries.
The outcome is a list of topics that clearly define the scope.
Why use it?
Completing an improvement project can be very complex and time consuming. It is vital that the boundaries and scope is locked
in at the start of the project. This ensures everyone is on the same page and all understand the task at hand. It is important to
recognise that people will not always like what's in and out of scope as they may be directly affected by the changes the project
may deliver.
When developing what's in and out of scope, the objective is to surface all the focus areas to the top and eliminate distracting
topics from the scope. Pay special effort to what's out of scope, people generally do not want to take scope out of a project.
How should I use it?
What's in/out of scope should be developed jointly with the project sponsor and then validated over a number of weeks with the
people involved in the project. The basic steps include:
1. Actively listen to the sponsor during informal discussions. As the task is being defined develop a mental map of what's in/out
of scope – jot these down on a notepad.
2. Once five to seven high level topics are identified for what's in and what's out, put these on stickers and build a poster. Test
these with the sponsor and key stakeholders. Seek feedback and update as required.
3. At this point the what's in/out of scope poster is a draft. Arrange a time to review the topics with the project team.
4. This will generate powerful conversations as the team discuss and interpret the topics. It is okay to add or modify topics as
this builds strong ownership.
5. Share this poster with the broader stakeholders to test their understanding. Actively listen to their concerns and clarify
the topics.
6. The what's in/out poster will always be a work in progress. As people become involved in the project they will test and
continue to refine the scope.
Tips and hints:
• The what's in/out of scope poster is a key alignment and communication tool and should always be jointly developed. The
process enables informal discussions as people jointly agree on the scope.
• Make the topics short and concise, the conversation will help to align their intent.
Do not underestimate its value
– clearly defining what's in/out
of scope will set people's mind
at ease and allow them to know
where they stand (even though
they may not like it).
What's in and out scope poster
Topic
What's in? What's out?
What's in/out of scope

8. 220Chapter 6 - The facilitation work
Channel brainstorming is collecting ideas within pre-conceived categories. The output is a list of ideas already categorised.
Why use it?
When brainstorming the outcome is often a mixture of higher and lower level ideas. Some of these lower level ideas are actually
a subset of the higher level ideas, although this is not always obvious. To make sense of the ideas, one process is to affinity group
them under the high level ideas. Channel brainstorming short circuits this process and groups the ideas under predefined categories
along the way. This can save time and enable the group to focus on the lower level ideas. Channel brainstorming is also great for
group work as the participants can be divided according to the number of categories ensuring everyone is engaged.
How should I use it?
Start this variation of brainstorming by listing the categories of improvement ideas. Brainstorm ideas for the first category and
when the ideas slow, 'change channels' and brainstorm the next category. From the completed lists, then select the ideas which
have the greatest potential for improvement.
Tips and hints:
• The fishbone diagram, or cause and effect chart, is one example where categories such as machinery/equipment, people,
methods and materials can be predefined. Simply brainstorming around these categories will produce many ideas that can be
explored to an even lower level of detail.
• Be aware that selecting categories may cause you to miss something. When looking for 'out of the box' thinking, this
technique may restrict ideas.
• Combining channel brainstorming with brainwriting within groups produces a powerful process which can generate and group
many ideas very quickly.
Channel brainstorming
Fishbone diagram use for channel brainstorming

9. 175 Chapter 5 – Acceptance work
A communication plan is a key tool to build acceptance. The plan identifies the target audience, the message, how the message will
be conveyed, the deliverer and when the message will be communicated. The output is a list of actions to build acceptance through
focused communication.
Why use it?
Successful change never assumes people know about the change. It also does not assume that the technical solution is a given
and people will automatically get on board. Change is much more difficult and requires constant ongoing communication to keep
people engaged and involved. Communication needs to be clear and concise and be targeted to the stakeholder's needs. A sound
communication plan must articulate the vision and prevent confusion.
How should I use it?
Pre-workshop, mark up a communication plan matrix poster. Clearly identify what change we have to make using the mapping the
change tool. Write this statement on top of our matrix to draw our focus to the change.
As a group answer the following questions, capture thoughts on stickers and place them on the communication plan matrix:
• Who must be communicated with?
• What do they need to know?
• When and how often do they need to know it?
• How can it be communicated so that we can be sure the communication is received?
• Who is responsible for the communication?
Tips and hints:
• Use the Stakeholder analysis tool to identify who must be communicated with
• Use the prompts in the Engagement Strategy tool to explore what concerns, interests and wins could influence the
stakeholders
• Use the prompts in the FAST matrix tool to ensure the message appeals to the audience and considers facts,
stories and telling.
Communication plan poster – a guide
Audience Message Timing Medium Who
Communication plan

10. Major project
scenarios
Project initiation
Project planning
User Requirement Specification
Project alignment
Opportunity framing
Scoping workshop
Study document planning
Options Analysis
Tollgate Reviews
Critical decision analysis
Operational readiness plan
Alternative pathways
Value engineering
Contracting and procurement strategy
Design reviews
Maintainability review
Failure modes and effects analysis
Commissioning plan
Business improvement
projects
Improvement methodology
scenarios
Project definition
Top 10 improvements
Analyse opportunities
Implementation planning and delivery
Institutionalise benefits
Day to day improvement
scenarios
Strategy development
Creative thinking and Innovation
Productivity improvement
Business evaluation
Guideline development
Business planning
Failure modes and effects analysis
Root Cause Analysis
All these facilitation scenarios can be found in the
“Facilitating for success – A managers guide to
projects’ second edition” book.
Refer to www.trihelix.com.au to see a video on
some of these scenarios.
For a copy of a scenario please contact us at
info@trihelix.com.au.
Risk
management
Hazard ID
Risk assessment
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
validation
HAZOP
Constructability review
Construction risk
Lessons leant