Risk management is a generic technique that can be applied across all phases of the Architecture Development Method (ADM), as well as in the Preliminary Phase and the Requirements Management Phase2. Risk management involves the following steps1:

•Risk identification: This step involves identifying the potential risks that may affect the architecture project, such as technical, business, organizational, environmental, or legal risks. The risks can be identified through various sources, such as stakeholder interviews, workshops, surveys, checklists, historical data, or expert judgment.

•Risk classification: This step involves categorizing the risks based on their nature, source, impact, and priority. The risks can be classified according to different criteria, such as time, cost, scope, quality, security, or compliance. The classification helps in prioritizing the risks and allocating resources and efforts to address them effectively.

•Initial risk assessment: This step involves assessing the likelihood and impact of each risk, and determining the initial level of risk. The likelihood is the probability of the risk occurring, and the impact is the severity of the consequences if the risk occurs. The initial level of risk is the product of the likelihood and impact, and it indicates the urgency and importance of the risk. The initial risk assessment helps in identifying the most critical risks that need immediate attention and mitigation.