IT Project Risk Check

Strategic Alignment & Sponsorship

Clear, strategic project goals. Project objectives are well-defined and align with the organization’s strategic direction.
Active executive sponsorship. A senior executive sponsor is actively involved and supports the project throughout.
Stakeholder buy-in and support. Key stakeholders are engaged and committed to the project’s success.
Clear value proposition. The project’s benefits and value are clearly defined and understood by all stakeholders.
Formal project charter approved. A project charter or equivalent document has been formally approved, outlining objectives, scope, and stakeholders.
Success metrics defined. Key success indicators (e.g. ROI, KPIs) are established to measure the project’s benefits.

Scope & Requirements Management

Clearly defined scope boundaries. The project scope is well-defined, with explicit agreement on what is in scope and out of scope.
Complete and clear requirements. Requirements are thoroughly documented, unambiguous, and cover all key stakeholder needs.
Stakeholder involvement in requirements. All relevant users and stakeholders were involved in defining and reviewing requirements.
Requirements prioritization. Requirements have been prioritized to distinguish critical "must-haves" from less-critical "nice-to-haves".
Formal requirements sign-off. Requirements are formally approved by stakeholder representatives before development begins.

Project Planning & Estimation

Comprehensive project plan. A detailed project plan (tasks, milestones, timeline) is in place and has been reviewed by the team.
Realistic schedule and budget. Project deadlines and budget estimates are realistic, based on effort estimates (not wishful thinking).
Resource planning done. Required team members and other resources are identified and secured to match project needs.
Roles and responsibilities defined. Project team roles and responsibilities are clearly assigned and understood by everyone.
Project kickoff held. A kickoff meeting was conducted with the team and stakeholders to align on project goals and approach.

Project Management & Methodology

Established project methodology. The project follows a defined methodology or framework (Agile, Waterfall, etc.) suited to the organization’s needs.
Regular status tracking. Project progress is tracked and reported regularly, using tools/metrics to compare performance against the plan.
Proactive issue management. The project manager addresses issues and risks promptly, with a process to escalate and resolve problems when needed.
Use of project management tools. The team uses project management tools (task trackers, documentation, etc.) to collaborate and keep work organized.
Experienced project management. The project manager has the necessary experience and skills to manage the project effectively.

Scope Change Control

Controlled scope changes. Any changes to scope go through a formal evaluation and approval process (no uncontrolled expansion).
Scope creep awareness. The team is vigilant about scope creep and avoids adding features without proper justification.
Change impact assessment. All requested changes are assessed for impact on timeline, budget, and risks before approval.
Stakeholder agreement on changes. Stakeholders are kept informed of proposed changes, and their approval is required for major scope adjustments.
No gold-plating extras. The team avoids "gold-plating" by not including extra features beyond the defined requirements.

Risk Management

Risk identification. Project risks are identified early, documented, and regularly updated throughout the project.
Risk mitigation planning. For each significant risk, mitigation or contingency plans are defined in case it occurs.
Regular risk review. Risks are reviewed in status meetings, and new risks are added as they arise.
Escalation of critical risks. High-impact risks or issues are escalated to senior management or a steering committee for prompt attention.
Risk ownership assigned. Each major risk has an owner responsible for monitoring it and executing mitigation actions.

Communication

Project communication plan. A communication plan is in place, detailing who receives what information, when, and how (e.g. reports, meetings).
Regular stakeholder updates. Stakeholders and sponsors receive regular progress updates (status reports, meetings) on the project.
Team communication routines. The project team has effective internal communication (daily stand-ups or weekly meetings) to stay coordinated.
Clear reporting and documentation. Meetings have agendas and minutes; decisions and action items are documented and circulated to all relevant parties.
Open communication culture. Team members feel comfortable raising concerns or questions, preventing issues from being hidden until it’s too late.

Stakeholder & User Involvement

User involvement in design/testing. End-users or their representatives are actively involved in design decisions and testing phases (UAT).
Stakeholder feedback loop. Mechanisms (workshops, demos, feedback sessions) are in place to gather stakeholder feedback and incorporate it into the project.
Executive stakeholder engagement. Executive stakeholders (e.g. a steering committee) regularly review project status and provide guidance or decisions as needed.
Managed stakeholder expectations. Stakeholder expectations about outcomes and timelines are managed through continuous communication and involvement.
Change readiness and training. Stakeholders (including end users) are prepared for new processes/technology through training and change management efforts.

Team Skills & Dynamics

Skilled team members. Team members have the necessary technical and domain skills to execute their tasks successfully.
Training for skill gaps. If any skill gaps exist, training or mentoring is provided to bring team members up to speed.
Low team turnover. Key project roles have continuity; turnover of team members is minimal during the project.
Effective teamwork and trust. The team collaborates effectively in a positive, trustful environment, avoiding conflicts that impede progress.
Cross-team cooperation. Collaboration between different departments or vendors on the project is smooth and well-coordinated.
Adaptability to change. The team and leadership are flexible and can adapt to unexpected changes or challenges during the project.

Technology & Tools

Appropriate technology choices. The technologies and platforms chosen are suitable for the project’s needs and were evaluated for fit (not just trendy picks).
Technical due diligence done. The team performed due diligence (e.g. vendor research, case studies) to ensure chosen solutions are reliable and capable.
Scalable, maintainable architecture. The system architecture is designed to be scalable and maintainable, avoiding overly complex or fragile designs.
Integration planning. Integration with existing systems is well-planned, with data compatibility and interface requirements clearly identified.
Use of proven components. Where possible, the project uses proven libraries/tools instead of reinventing the wheel or using untested tech without need.
Security and compliance considered. Security, privacy, and any regulatory compliance requirements are identified and built into the project from the start.

Testing & Quality Assurance

Comprehensive test plan. A thorough testing plan (unit, integration, system, user acceptance) is in place to validate all deliverables.
Adequate testing time scheduled. The project schedule allocates sufficient time for thorough testing and bug fixing (not just rush development).
User acceptance testing (UAT). End-users or client representatives conduct UAT to ensure the system meets their needs before go-live.
Defect tracking and resolution. There is a clear process for tracking, prioritizing, and fixing defects found during testing.
Quality criteria defined. Quality criteria (performance benchmarks, security standards, etc.) are defined and must be met for the project to be considered successful.
Pilot or phased rollout planned. The implementation will be done in phases or with an initial pilot to catch issues early and ensure a smooth full deployment.

Resources & Budget

Adequate budget allocated. The project has an approved budget that is sufficient to cover all planned activities (with contingency for overruns).
Funding is secured. Executive management has committed the necessary funding, and financial resources are secured for the project’s duration.
Key resources available when needed. Critical team members and equipment are available as scheduled; resource constraints are addressed proactively.
Realistic workload for team. Team members are not over-allocated; the project workload is balanced to prevent burnout and maintain productivity.
Planned procurement process. If external vendors or tools are needed, procurement is planned and managed so that it does not delay the project.
Budget tracking in place. Project spending is tracked against the budget regularly to catch and address any cost overruns early.

IT Project Risk Check

Strategic Alignment & Sponsorship

Scope & Requirements Management

Project Planning & Estimation

Project Management & Methodology

Scope Change Control

Risk Management

Communication

Stakeholder & User Involvement

Team Skills & Dynamics

Technology & Tools

Testing & Quality Assurance

Resources & Budget

Your project success snapshot