Viewing risk registers and matrices (Data Center)

Viewing risk registers and matrices (Data Center)

At a glance: Use the project risk register to review, sort, and open project risks, or switch to the risk matrix to visualise risks by probability and impact.

Use the project risk register to review risks as a sortable list or plot them on a risk matrix.

The risk register includes every risk associated with the project that matches the configured risk issue type and risk register settings.

Open a project risk register

To view the risk register:

  1. Open the Jira project.

  2. Select Risk register from the project navigation.

Note: Jira remembers the view you used most recently and restores it the next time you open a project risk register.

The risk register opens in the view you used most recently:

  • Risk register displays risks in a table.

  • Risk matrix plots risks according to their probability and impact.

View risks in the risk register

Select Risk register from the toolbar to display the project’s risks as a list.

The register includes the following columns:

Column

Description

Column

Description

T

The Jira issue type used by the risk. Hover over the icon to see the issue type name.

Key

The Jira issue key.

Summary

The risk summary and, when configured, treatment information.

Status

The current Jira workflow status of the risk.

Inherent risk

The assessed risk level before treatments or controls are applied.

Residual risk

The assessed risk level after treatments or controls are applied.

The terminology used for inherent and residual risk may differ if your Jira administrator has customised the Risk Register terminology.

Sort the risk register

Select a column heading to sort the register by that column. Select the same heading again to reverse the sort order.

You can sort by:

  • Issue type

  • Issue key

  • Summary

  • Status

  • Inherent risk

  • Residual risk

When no sort has been selected, risks are listed by issue key.

Open a risk

Select the issue type icon, issue key, or risk summary to open the Jira issue.

By default, risks open in a new browser tab. You can change this behaviour from View settings.

View linked treatments

When linked treatment issues are configured, the risk register displays treatment information beside the risk summary.

Select the treatment indicator to expand or collapse the treatments linked to an individual risk.

Expanded treatments can include:

  • Issue type

  • Issue key

  • Summary

  • Priority

  • Status

Treatments are grouped and ordered according to their Jira status category.

To expand or collapse treatments for every risk, select:

  • Show linked treatments

  • Hide linked treatments

These controls are only shown when at least one risk has a linked treatment.

View the risk matrix

Select Risk matrix from the toolbar to display the risks according to their probability and impact.

Each matrix cell represents a combination of:

  • Probability

  • Impact

  • Calculated risk level

The colour and label of a cell are determined by the project’s risk model.

The matrix axes use the probability and impact names configured by your Jira administrator. Their orientation may also be reversed, depending on the risk model configuration.

Switch between inherent and residual risk

Use the buttons above the matrix to select the assessment basis:

  • Inherent risk plots probability and impact before treatments or controls.

  • Residual risk plots probability and impact after treatments or controls.

Jira remembers the selected assessment basis for your next visit.

Review risks in a matrix cell

Select a matrix cell to display its details in the panel beside the matrix.

The panel shows:

  • The risk level represented by the cell

  • The risk-level description

  • The number of risks in the cell

  • The issue key and summary of each risk

Select a risk in the panel to open its Jira issue.

When the selected cell contains no risks, the panel displays Empty cell. When no cell is selected, the panel prompts you to select one.

Review risks that have not been fully assessed

A matrix can include an Unspecified row or column when one or more risks do not have a probability or impact value.

Use these cells to identify risks that require additional assessment.

Add a risk

Select Add a risk to open Jira’s create issue dialog.

The project and nominated risk issue type are selected automatically.

The button is unavailable when the Risk Register app does not have a valid licence.

Change view settings

Select the View settings menu in the upper-right corner of the risk register.

You can configure how Jira opens risks:

  • New tab opens each selected risk in a separate browser tab.

  • Same tab opens the risk in the current tab.

This preference applies when you open risks from either the risk register or the matrix.

Project administrators can also select Settings from this menu to open the project’s Risk Register configuration page.

View the risks elsewhere in Jira

Below the project risk register, you can select:

  • the issue navigator to open the same set of risks in Jira’s issue search.

  • on the dashboard to open Jira dashboards, where you can add the Risk Matrix gadget.

The issue navigator link uses the project’s risk register criteria so that it displays the same risks as the project view.

Empty risk registers

When the project contains no risks, the page displays Risk register empty.

Select Add a risk to create the first risk for the project.