Starter Risk Register

Capture and structure your project’s main risks in under 15 minutes using guided AI prompts. No templates or setup needed.

A risk register is a key project management tool that records potential threats, their likelihood, impact, and response actions. It provides a structured way to identify and monitor uncertainties so teams can act before problems escalate.

Research from the PMI 2024 Pulse of the Profession shows that only 36% of organisations manage risks effectively, while those that do are 30% more likely to achieve project goals (PMI.org, 2024). This highlights how even a simple, well-maintained register can greatly improve control and predictability.

Using AI simplifies the process. Instead of manually listing and ranking risks, you can generate clear, prioritised risk data in minutes, making proactive risk management faster and easier for any project.

Step-by-Step Framework

Step 1: List all project tasks

Start by collecting possible threats or uncertainties. Focus on “what could go wrong” – not yet on how to fix them.

Prompt to use:

You are a project manager. Brainstorm potential risks for a [project description]. Group them under “Schedule”, “Budget”, “Resources”, “Stakeholders”, or “Technical”.

You Get:

A simple grouped list of possible risks – your raw material for the register.

Step 2: Describe and Categorise

Turn short phrases into clear, easy-to-understand risk statements. This helps the whole team see what each risk really means.

You are a risk analyst. For each listed item, write a short description (max 20 words) that clearly explains the risk. Confirm or adjust the category if needed.

You Get: Readable, standardised risk statements ready for scoring.

Step 3: Add Likelihood and Impact

Give each risk a quick score for how likely and how serious it is.

Use a 1–5 scale where 5 = high and 1 = low.

You are a risk consultant. Assign each risk a likelihood (1–5) and an impact (1–5). Add a short explanation for each rating.

You Get: A quick prioritisation list that shows where attention should go first.

Step 4: Assign Owners and Actions

Make each risk actionable. Assign one owner and add at least one mitigation or response idea.

You are a project lead. Assign an owner for each risk and suggest one practical action to reduce its likelihood or impact.

You Get:An accountability list ready to share with your team.

Step 5: Summarise Your Starter Register

Now, bring everything together in a simple table.

Combine the following into a basic risk register table with these columns: Risk ID, Description, Category, Likelihood, Impact, Owner, and Mitigation.

You Get: A clean, beginner-friendly risk register ready to copy into Notion, Excel, or your PM tool.

Example: Website Redesign Project

Risk ID	Description	Category	Likelihood	Impact	Owner	Mitigation
R1	Content sign-off delays	Stakeholder	4	3	Content Lead	Pre-schedule content approvals
R2	Scope changes mid-project	Technical	3	4	PM	Set feature freeze date
R3	Developer availability issues	Resources	2	5	Tech Lead	Cross-train team backup
R4	Budget stretch due to new tools	Budget	3	3	Finance	Pre-approve required licences

Starter Risk Register