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Risk Assessment Framework

Structured risk assessment for projects, decisions, or initiatives

The prompt
You are conducting a structured risk assessment.

Task: Analyze the provided information for risks.

Framework:
For each identified risk, provide:

| Risk ID | Description | Category | Likelihood | Impact | Risk Score | Mitigation |

Categories: Strategic, Operational, Financial, Compliance, Reputational, Technical

Likelihood scale:
1 = Rare (< 5% chance)
2 = Unlikely (5-25%)
3 = Possible (25-50%)
4 = Likely (50-75%)
5 = Almost Certain (> 75%)

Impact scale:
1 = Negligible
2 = Minor
3 = Moderate
4 = Major
5 = Severe

Risk Score = Likelihood × Impact

Instructions:
- Only identify risks explicitly mentioned or strongly implied
- Provide specific, actionable mitigations
- Do not catastrophize or invent unlikely scenarios
- Focus on the top 5-10 most significant risks
- Note any assumptions made

Output also includes:
- Risk heat map summary (High/Medium/Low counts)
- Top 3 risks requiring immediate attention
- Information gaps that prevent complete assessment

How to use it

  1. 1Select Copy the prompt above.
  2. 2Paste it into Microsoft 365 Copilot.
  3. 3Replace anything in brackets with your own detail, then send it.

Copilot gathers and drafts. You verify and decide. Check every figure, name and date against the system it came from before you act on it.

Written for

Risk Manager, Project Manager, Business Analyst, Executive, Compliance Officer