What is the purpose of risk response planning?

• A. To document all identified risks in a risk register.
• B. To define actions to reduce threats and enhance opportunities, assign owners, and determine when and how to implement responses.
• C. To create contingency budgets without ownership.
• D. To perform performance reviews of team members.

Answer: (B)

Risk response planning focuses on deciding how to address risks that may affect the project by reducing threats and seizing opportunities, and on who will act and when. It turns identified risks into concrete actions, defines the specific responses, assigns owners, and lays out when and how those responses will be triggered and implemented. This prepares the team to handle risks before they derail the project and ties responses to resources through contingency plans and timing.

For example, if a delay risk is identified, the plan might call for adding a second supplier, bringing forward orders, or prioritizing tasks, with a designated owner and a specific implementation date. If there’s an opportunity to accelerate delivery, the plan might include fast-tracking features or adding resources, again with clear ownership and timing.

Other options miss the full scope: merely documenting risks in a risk register is part of risk identification, not the planning of actions; budgets without ownership lack accountability and direction; and performance reviews of team members are unrelated to risk response planning.