Objective: Students will work in teams to identify, analyze, and plan for potential risks in their software project, using the provided risk management spreadsheet. AI will be used to assist in the process.
🔹 Activity Overview (50 min)
| Time | Task |
|---|---|
| 10 min | Introduction to risk management and explanation of the activity |
| 10 min | Risk Identification – Teams brainstorm and list project risks |
| 10 min | Risk Analysis – Assess probability and seriousness of each risk |
| 10 min | Risk Planning – Develop minimization strategies and contingency plans |
| 10 min | Risk Monitoring & Team Discussion – How to track and respond to risks |
| Present to Class |
📍 Activity Breakdown
1️⃣ Introduction (5 min)
- Risk management in software projects:
- Risk Identification: Finding potential risks.
- Risk Analysis: Assessing likelihood and impact.
- Risk Planning: Creating strategies to handle risks.
- Risk Monitoring: Keeping track of risks throughout the project.
- A Risk Management Spreadsheet:
- Risk Management Spreadsheet.
- Includes risk type, probability, impact, and response strategies.
2️⃣ Risk Identification (10 min)
Objective: Recognize potential threats that could impact the project’s success.
- Each team should identify at least 5 specific risks relevant to their project. (Avoid general statements like (we might “run out of time” or “the software doesn’t work”. Look for risk for your project, like “We are unable to identify a framework to provide a graphical interface for out seating plan”.
- Use the spreadsheet to categorize risks as:
- Technology risks: e.g., API failures, security vulnerabilities.
- Organizational risks: e.g., sick team members, lack of stakeholder support.
- People risks: e.g., key team members not engaging, lack of expertise.
- Requirements risks: e.g., misunderstood requirements require change, unclear client expectations.
- Estimation risks: e.g., underestimating time, effort, or cost of specific tasks.
- Again – don’t state generic risks, cast your risks in terms of your specific project.
How ChatGPT Can Assist:
- Brainstorming Potential Risks: ChatGPT can generate a comprehensive list of common risks associated with software development projects.
- Identifying Specific Risks: By providing project details, ChatGPT can help pinpoint unique risks pertinent to the project’s context.
Sample Prompts:
- “What are some risks when using the google forms and spreadsheets to create a online application that allows users to sign up for a grant?”
- “What are the security risks of using a paypal widgit to provide for customer payments?”
- “What are some common issues that arise when developing a web based IDE or code development?”
- “What are the most common risks when using Google Forms and Spreadsheets for managing sensitive application data?”“How often do data breaches occur in cloud-based form collection systems like Google Forms?”
✅ Deliverable: List at least 5 risks in the spreadsheet.
3️⃣ Risk Analysis (10 min)
Objective: Evaluate the likelihood of each risk occurring and its potential impact on the project.
- Assess each risk’s Probability (Very Low, Low, Moderate, High, Very High).
- Assess each risk’s Consequence (Catastrophic, Serious, Tolerable, Insignificant).
- Teams discuss which risks are the biggest threats.
How ChatGPT Can Assist:
Risk Evaluation: ChatGPT can provide insights into the typical frequency and severity of identified risks based on industry data.
Prioritization: Assist in ranking risks by combining probability and impact assessments.
Sample Prompts:
- “How likely is it that personally identifiable information (PII) collected via Google Forms could be accessed by unauthorized users?”
- “What percentage of organizations experience data leaks when using cloud-based spreadsheet systems?”
- “What are the most common security vulnerabilities in Google Forms, and how often are they exploited?”
- “How frequently do phishing attacks target Google Forms-based systems for collecting sensitive information?”
- “What is the likelihood that a shared Google Sheet link could be accessed by unintended parties?”
✅ Deliverable: Assign a probability and consequence for each risk in the spreadsheet.
4️⃣ Risk Planning (10 min)
Objective: Formulate approaches to reduce the likelihood of risks and prepare actions if they materialize.
- For each risk, teams develop:
- Avoidance strategies (How can we prevent this risk from happening?)
- Minimization strategies (How can we reduce the impact?)
- Contingency plans (What do we do if the risk occurs?)
- Example:RiskProbabilityConsequenceAvoidanceMinimizationContingencyAPI failsHighSeriousUse a well-documented APIImplement error handlingSwitch to a backup API
How ChatGPT Can Assist:
- Risk Evaluation: ChatGPT can provide insights into the typical frequency and severity of identified risks based on industry data.
- Prioritization: Assist in ranking risks by combining probability and impact assessments.
Sample Prompts:
- “What are the best practices for securing sensitive data in Google Forms and Spreadsheets?”
- “How can I ensure that only authorized users can access and edit grant application data in Google Spreadsheets?”
- “What are the risks of storing personally identifiable information (PII) in Google Sheets, and how can I mitigate them?”
- “How can I encrypt or add password protection to sensitive grant application data stored in Google Sheets?”
- “What alternative platforms provide better security for handling online applications than Google Forms and Spreadsheets?”
✅ Deliverable: Each risk should have avoidance, minimization, and contingency plans in the spreadsheet.
5️⃣ Risk Monitoring & Discussion (5 min)
Objective: Monitor identified risks and ensure mitigation strategies are effective throughout the project lifecycle.
- Each team presents one major risk and their response plan.
- Discuss: How will they monitor risks throughout the project?
- Who is responsible for tracking risks?
- What signals will indicate that a risk is becoming a problem?
- How often should they review risks?
How ChatGPT Can Assist:
Risk: If Google services go down or there are errors in the workflow, applications could be lost or delayed.
Prompts to Ask AI:
- “How can I back up Google Forms responses automatically to another database?”
- “What are alternative ways to collect applications if Google Forms goes offline?”
- “How can I use AI to monitor Google Sheets for errors or missing entries and alert me in real time?”
- “What contingency plans should I put in place in case Google Sheets reaches its data limit?”
✅ Deliverable: Write a plan in the spreadsheet on how risks will be monitored.
📌 Wrapping Up
- Moodle: turn in your work here: link
- Takeaways: Risk management is an ongoing process—continue updating your risk plan throughout their project.