Risk management is project management for adults

Too often in the software industry, organizations approach project management in the same way a desperate gambler approaches the tables at Las Vegas or Monaco-with only one thought in mind: roll the dice. In a dice-tossing project, there is nothing you can do to improve your odds. Of course, that is not true for your software projects, but nothing you can do will make your risks go away completely. You can ignore them or you can deal with them explicitly. If you ignore your project's risks, all your other efforts will be for naught. Your project's success is based on opportunity and benefit, on cost and risk. Opportunity and benefit address the value of the delivered software. Cost and risk address the minimum and variable costs-in units of money, time and effort-that are necessary to deliver that product. Any form of risk management is better than none. If you have project management responsibilities, who should be dealing with the inherent risks of your project if not you?.