Procedure

1. Team identifies list of potential risk items. Not all items identified are accepted. Risks can be current problems or potential future problems.
2. Risk Mitigation plan with action items and due dates is developed for each accepted risk item.
3. Team meets regularly (every 2 weeks for us) to assess risks and add new risk items, if necessary. See Status section on Risk Information Sheet below.
4. Risks are closed when all the actions to close the risk have been taken. Some risk items are closed quickly; others are open for a long time. Some are considered watch items and the action plan doesn't kick in until certain negative events happen.
5. Action plans include second sources of some items, requirements redirection, different technologies, etc.
6. Closed risks remain in the base for future learning.

Phil Sabelhaus is the Deputy Director of Flight Programs and Projects for Earth Sciences. He has also served as Project Manager for several Goddard projects, including TOMS, Landsat-7, EOS Aura , ESSPVCL and EOS Aqua.