A new risk manager has been assigned to a project experiencing delays, quality issues, low performance, and client complaints. The work is being completed with the client's vendor, which apparently has been causing all of the issues. What should the risk manager do first?

When a new risk manager joins a project that is already in progress and facing issues, the first and most critical step is to gain situational awareness. The risk register is the primary project document that contains the list of identified risks, results of risk analysis, and proposed risk responses. By reviewing the risk register, the manager can quickly understand which risks were anticipated, their current status, and the plans in place. This review provides the essential baseline knowledge required before taking any other action, such as identifying new risks or assessing the adequacy of reserves or responses.

A. Enhancing risk identification is a necessary step, but it should be performed after understanding the risks that have already been identified in the existing register.
B. Reviewing the contingency reserves is premature without first understanding the specific risks those reserves are intended to cover, information which is detailed in the risk register.
C. Creating or updating a risk response plan is impossible without first reviewing the identified risks and their analysis contained within the risk register.

1. Project Management Institute. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. In Section 11.2.3.1, the Risk Register is described as the key output of Identify Risks, containing the list of identified risks. It serves as a primary input for all subsequent risk management processes, making its review the logical starting point for understanding a project's risk status.

2. Project Management Institute. (2019). The Standard for Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and Projects. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. Section 4.5, "Monitor Risk," discusses the activities involved in overseeing risk, which includes reviewing risk documentation to assess the current state. For a new manager, this review is the first step in assuming monitoring responsibilities.

3. Hillson, D. (2016). The Risk Management Handbook: A Practical Guide to Managing the Multiple Dimensions of Risk. Kogan Page Publishers. The text emphasizes that effective risk management relies on a structured and documented process. The risk register (or risk log) is the central repository for this documentation, and its review is fundamental to understanding the risk context before initiating any control or response actions. (See Chapter 4: The Risk Management Process).