Simon G's Blog

I have been using a spreadsheet that I have been slowly extending over the years for recording and monitoring Issues, Risks, Assumptions, Questions and Decisions . I tend to store this in a central repository and encourage team members to add and update entries. I also encourage the recording of entries to be in terms that somebody in another team (business or technically-oriented) could read and understand. We then review this regularly, particularly with how we are tracking with closing out issues.  Below is a link to the template that you are welcome to use and customise as you need. The template can be downloaded at  http://www.scribd.com/doc/32966336/Issues-Risks-Assumptions-Questions-Decisions-template <p><p>Issues, Risks, Assumptions, Questions and Decisions Register Template</p></p>

Having worked in a corporate for many years, I find that it is often useful to step back from the every day process and ask a few very simple questions: If this was my money would I spend it on this? If this was a startup what would we be doing different? Is this really a Must Have requirement / Do the stakeholders understand the impact this has to cost, timeframe and/or complexity? Challenge yourself, challenge others, question why.