Skip to content

Project delivery

Separate Open Questions from Project Risks

A project can have many unanswered questions without every one being a major risk.

A project can have many unanswered questions without every one being a major risk. For a government technology team, separating routine information gaps from potential service consequences makes review meetings more useful.

Describe the uncertainty precisely

Write the missing fact as a question that someone can answer. For example, confirm whether the proposed room will be available on the planned installation date. Then describe the consequence if the answer changes the plan. This keeps a vague concern from circulating as a general warning and helps the team decide how urgently the answer is needed.

Give each record a next step

Assign an owner, an expected response date, and the decision that depends on the answer. If the uncertainty could materially affect delivery, carry it into the project's risk review with the appropriate owners. Close questions when evidence arrives and record the source. A long list of unresolved items is less helpful than a shorter list that shows what is being done. Use the linked record to show which decision became possible after the question was answered.

Practical takeaway

Use separate views for questions and consequences while keeping them linked. That gives the team a practical way to investigate details and focus attention where it matters.

Related services