How to Actually Define Risk Categories [Video]

Every project has risks. But where are the greatest concentrations of risks? What are the common causal factors? Where should we invest our limited time, energy, and budget? In this blog post, we will examine how to define risk categories to answer these questions and more.

Risk Category. A group of potential causes of risk.

– PMBOK® Guide, Seventh Edition –

What are Risk Categories?

A risk category is a group of potential causes of risk. Categories allow you to group individual project risks to evaluate and respond to risks.

Project managers often use a standard set of categories such as:

Schedule
Cost
Quality
Scope.

However, project managers may use other categories. Imagine a project manager who is managing a software development project. She may use these categories: