NASA Risk Informed Decision Making Handbook

This handbook addresses the RIDM component of RM. This is an essential part of RM since the decisions made during the course of a program ultimately “burn-in” the risk that must be retired/mitigated during the life cycle of the program (primarily during the development portion of the life cycle) using CRM processes to track progress towards the program’s goal. RIDM helps to ensure that decisions between alternatives are made with an awareness of the risks associated with each, thereby helping to prevent late design changes, which can be key drivers of risk, cost overruns, schedule delays, and cancellation. Most project cost-saving opportunities occur in the definition, planning, and early design phases of a project.