Course Information
This course deals in a practical manner with project risk management as a technique that can be used to handle risks associated with the full cycle of development cooperation and public-sector projects. These projects are often planned without taking into account the risks involved, but with the focus exclusively on project interventions, plans and budgets. In practice, however, such projects are conducted in high-risk environments characterized by high levels of complexity and uncertainty, and with the involvement of multiple stakeholders. This course is designed to address this gap and help participants establish a framework for the application of formal risk management to development-cooperation and public-sector projects.
Description
Description
This course deals in a practical manner with project risk management as a technique that can be used to handle risks associated with the full cycle of development cooperation and public-sector projects. These projects are often planned without taking into account the risks involved, but with the focus exclusively on project interventions, plans and budgets. In practice, however, such projects are conducted in high-risk environments characterized by high levels of complexity and uncertainty, and with the involvement of multiple stakeholders. This course is designed to address this gap and help participants establish a framework for the application of formal risk management to development-cooperation and public-sector projects.
Target audience
Target audience
National project coordinators; project managers and staff; staff of international organizations; national development planning officials; non-governmental organization officials involved in technical assistance programmes and projects; context analysts.
Objectives
Objectives
Through the training, participants will explore the main categories of risks encountered in the context of development projects. They will apply the project risks management tools and techniques to this specific context in order to familiarize themselves with best practices in mitigating risks accordingly.
Content
Content
Participants who successfully complete the training can expect to improve or enhance their knowledge and skills in order to perform the following actions:
- Use of soft skills and general management skills to understand the project context, actors and factors and to link the risk management function with the project phase gates
- Define the risk management approach to adopt for the project, including the levels of risk appetite and stakeholders’ risk tolerances
- Identify project strategic risks and improve project design by addressing them with appropriate ex-ante measures
- Identify risk in project implementation (e.g. operational, fiduciary, financial and reputational risks) prioritize them, plan risk responses, estimate and present a contingency budget
- Assemble all risk related information in a risk register that comprehends risk identification, risk assessment, risk response planning and risk monitoring and control processes as well as the distribution of roles and responsibilities with regards to project risks
- Monitor and control risks, communicate, create workarounds and adjust project and update risk register when necessary
- Manage risks related to project closure and evaluate risk management outcomes
- Integrate lessons learned and good practices related to risk management into next project cycles and into the institutional knowledge base
- Adopt safe and secure attitudes and behaviours in volatile and dangerous environments
Format and Methodology
Format and Methodology
The training methods used are centred on practical activities: a combination of theoretical presentations, group work, case studies, discussions and role-plays. The objective is to reproduce realities of risk management in the context of development co-operation.
Approximately half of the time will be dedicated to presenting risk management concepts, tools and technique. The other half will be dedicated to the practical application of the risk management concepts, to knowledge sharing and to group
discussions.