Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS)
DE: Risikostrukturplan (RBS)
A hierarchical representation of potential sources of risk.
Detailed Explanation
The RBS is a hierarchical representation of potential sources of risk organized by risk category. It helps the project team consider the full range of sources from which risks may arise and ensures comprehensive risk identification by providing a structured framework.
A typical RBS has top-level categories like Technical, External, Organizational, and Project Management, each broken into subcategories. Technical might include: Requirements, Technology, Complexity, Performance. External might include: Subcontractors, Regulatory, Market, Weather.
The RBS is used during risk identification workshops as a checklist to ensure the team has considered all potential risk areas. It can also be used to organize the risk register by category and to identify which risk categories are generating the most risks.
Key Points
- Hierarchical categorization of risk sources
- Ensures comprehensive risk identification
- Common top levels: Technical, External, Organizational, PM
- Used as a checklist during risk identification workshops
- Organizes the risk register by category
- Similar concept to the WBS but for risk sources
Practical Example
A software project RBS: Level 1 = Project Risks; Level 2 = Technical (Requirements, Architecture, Integration, Performance), External (Vendor, Regulatory, Market), Organizational (Resources, Priorities, Funding), PM (Estimation, Planning, Communication). During risk identification, the team walks through each RBS category, identifying 3-5 risks per subcategory.
Tips for Learning and Applying
Customize the RBS to your industry and project type
Use the RBS as a systematic checklist during risk identification
Analyze which RBS categories generate the most risks — this reveals risk patterns
Update the RBS based on lessons learned from past projects
Want to Master These Concepts?
Our courses cover all these terms in depth with practical examples and exercises.