Using formal risk management tools, companies can more accurately calculate "worst-case scenarios" in IT and the effect their potential loss or corruption will have on the business. So how should you begin your risk management assessment process?
A risk management assessment often involves the use of decision trees, risk calculators and templates -- all of which help develop a fine-tuned plan and provide organizations with the knowledge they need to better manage IT-related risks.
To get you started, we've tracked down some free risk management tools, templates, instructions, calculators and informational guides from across the Web. These free resources offer tools for assessing disaster recovery, risk management and even data loss.
Risk management guidelines and procedures
SOURCE: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
OFFERING: NIST's "Risk Management Guide for Information Technology Systems" offers an overview of the importance of risk management, followed by step-by-step risk assessment guidelines, risk mitigation tips and a section on evaluating and assessing your progress.
SOURCE: Economist Intelligence Unit
OFFERING: This report offers insight into how to manage risk in unstable times, and lists practical steps to guide your organization to recovery more quickly.
OFFERING: These instructional slides include case studies, analysis and assessments on operational risk methods and how they differ from traditional risk management guidelines.
Risk management tools
OFFERING: This data loss calculator helps determine the negative financial impact of data breaches and identify theft, including an average cost of internal expenses such as regulatory and compliance issues associated with such a breach.
OFFERING: A primer on risk assessment tools, this guide offers definitions of the two processes (including calculations), as well as an overview of risk assessment tools available today.
Disaster recovery and risk management
SOURCE: Hewlett-Packard Co. and SCORE.org
OFFERING: A basic review of disaster recovery planning, this article highlights the relationships among assets, vulnerabilities and threats in a mathematical equation used to assess risk in any disaster recovery plan.
Tools to measure risk in project planning
OFFERING: More procedural and less of an overview, this document provides the reasons for and the steps necessary to take on risk measurement.
OFFERING: This step-by-step estimation process using a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis tool estimates cost of poor quality to weigh the risks of a potential Six Sigma project failure.
Did we miss a tool or template? Let us know; email email@example.com.