Risikobegleitung
Project risk management
Risks do not disappear when nobody talks about them. Abexis supports demanding projects as an external risk manager — on an ongoing basis at roughly 10 to 20 percent capacity, or through an independent Project Reality Check. We identify critical developments early, challenge project status and create the decision basis that project leadership, executive management and steering committees need.
Model 1
Ongoing risk support
Abexis supports your project regularly as an external risk manager. Typical scope is roughly 10 to 20 percent depending on project size and risk profile — for example half a day to one full day per week.
This model suits strategically important, complex or high-risk initiatives that require continuous early detection and independent assessment.
Model 2
Focused Project Reality Check
When an independent status assessment is needed first, we review the project in a focused and time-bound way. We analyse documents, interview key people and challenge status, planning, governance, risks, execution and change readiness. You receive a clear assessment, prioritized risks and concrete recommendations.
More about the Project Reality CheckScope of ongoing support
Two models for your project situation
The external risk manager neither replaces project leadership nor the sponsor's accountability. The role adds an independent perspective to the existing project organization. The goal is not to list as many risks as possible or create extra administration. It is to:
- Build or review the risk management approach
- Identify and assess risks in a structured way
- Regular conversations with project leadership and owners
- Facilitate risk workshops
- Prioritize by probability and impact
- Define and track effective measures
- Review early indicators and changes
- Prepare top risks for executive management and steering committees
- Formulate required decisions clearly
- Escalate critical developments
Early signals
Six signs that external risk support makes sense
Project leadership focuses on deadlines, deliverables, resources and daily coordination. Sub-project leads know their respective topics. The steering committee receives regular status reports. Yet one role is often missing: someone who views the overall picture independently and asks the hard questions:
Request a conversationRisks are collected but not actively managed
- The risk register exists but is rarely updated and has little influence on decisions.
Project status stays green for too long
- Problems are known but softened in reporting or only become visible late.
Critical measures remain open
- Ownership, deadlines and effectiveness of measures are not tracked consistently.
Project leadership is operationally overloaded
- There is no time or distance for an independent, cross-cutting risk view.
Decisions are delayed
- Critical topics are discussed repeatedly without clear decisions being made.
Management wants more certainty
- Executive management, the board or steering committee need a credible second opinion on actual project status.
Risks are collected but not actively managed
- The risk register exists but is rarely updated and has little influence on decisions.
Project status stays green for too long
- Problems are known but softened in reporting or only become visible late.
Critical measures remain open
- Ownership, deadlines and effectiveness of measures are not tracked consistently.
Project leadership is operationally overloaded
- There is no time or distance for an independent, cross-cutting risk view.
Decisions are delayed
- Critical topics are discussed repeatedly without clear decisions being made.
Management wants more certainty
- Executive management, the board or steering committee need a credible second opinion on actual project status.
Principle
“Not project policing — an independent sparring partner”
Process
5 stepsHow ongoing support works
01
Clarify mandate and risk profile
We discuss project objectives, starting point, existing governance and sponsor expectations.
02
Assess the starting point
We review existing risks, measures, reports and decision paths. Gaps are identified jointly.
03
Establish the risk process
Rating logic, ownership, reporting formats, meeting rhythm and escalation paths are agreed.
04
Monitor risks continuously
We challenge changes, track measures and check regularly for emerging risks.
05
Inform management
Executive management and steering committees receive a compact view of key risks, changes and required decisions.
Benefits
What professional risk management achieves
- make the truly relevant risks visible
- ask uncomfortable questions early
- follow up on measures consistently
- escalate critical developments factually
- protect management's ability to decide
01
Fewer surprises
Critical developments are recognized before they become acute problems.
02
Earlier decisions
Management knows where action is needed and what delay would mean.
03
Protection of schedule and budget
Countermeasures can be initiated while there is still room to act.
04
Relief for project leadership
Project leadership gains an experienced sparring partner for critical situations.
05
Higher transparency
Project team, steering committee and executive management share one risk picture.
06
More trust
A traceable risk process increases credibility of project status.
Our role
The project is running. But who keeps an eye on the risks?
Project leadership focuses on deadlines, deliverables, resources and daily coordination. Sub-project leads know their respective topics. The steering committee receives regular status reports. Yet one role is often missing: someone who views the overall picture independently and asks the hard questions:
Key questions
5 questionsWhich risks threaten project objectives?
Which assumptions are not sufficiently secured?
Which measures are actually working?
Where are owners or decisions missing?
Which development must be escalated to executive management?
Deliverables
What you receive in practice
Structured artefacts and reporting formats that make risks, measures and decisions visible.
01
Risk register
A structured and prioritized overview of relevant project risks.
02
Risk heat map
Transparency on probability, impact and action priority.
03
Executive risk report
A compact management view of key risks, changes, measures and required decisions.
04
Measure tracking
Clear ownership, deadlines and regular review of effectiveness.
05
Early indicators
Measurable signals that reveal critical developments before they become project problems.
06
Independent assessment
An external view on status, assumptions and remaining room to act.
Perspective
What we challenge in the project
Risk management is not only about technical risks. We assess the project as a whole:
Request a conversationObjectives and scope
- Are objectives, success criteria and scope still clear and realistic?
Schedule and milestones
- Are timeline, dependencies and critical path robust?
Resources
- Are required capacity and skills actually available?
Governance
- Do roles, decision paths and escalation work reliably?
Suppliers and partners
- Are external dependencies, deliverables and obligations actively managed?
Data and technology
- Are data quality, migration, interfaces and technical decisions sufficiently secured?
Testing and quality
- Are test scope, quality assurance and acceptance sufficient for the next phase?
Organization and change
- Are users, leaders and affected units prepared for the change?
Go-live and handover
- Are cutover, training, support, hypercare and operational takeover realistically planned?
Objectives and scope
- Are objectives, success criteria and scope still clear and realistic?
Schedule and milestones
- Are timeline, dependencies and critical path robust?
Resources
- Are required capacity and skills actually available?
Governance
- Do roles, decision paths and escalation work reliably?
Suppliers and partners
- Are external dependencies, deliverables and obligations actively managed?
Data and technology
- Are data quality, migration, interfaces and technical decisions sufficiently secured?
Testing and quality
- Are test scope, quality assurance and acceptance sufficient for the next phase?
Organization and change
- Are users, leaders and affected units prepared for the change?
Go-live and handover
- Are cutover, training, support, hypercare and operational takeover realistically planned?
Use cases
Typical situations
From ERP rollouts to multi-vendor programmes — wherever independent risk oversight adds value.
01
Software rollouts and system replacements (ERP, DMS, PLM, MES, QMS, HCM, CRM)
02
Digital transformations
03
Organizational change
04
Strategic investment projects
05
Product launches
06
Integration projects
07
Multi-vendor programmes
08
Projects with regulatory or quality requirements
09
Initiatives with high time pressure or critical go-live dates
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Next step
Which model fits your project?
Sometimes an independent status assessment is enough. In other situations, continuous support makes sense. In a non-binding conversation we clarify where your project stands and which form of support creates concrete value.
- Free
- 30 minutes
- Non-binding
- Flexible scope