Risk · tool 7 of 7
Issue Management
Issue Management: handles problems that have already arrived, quickly and visibly.
Best for: Throughout · Time: 10 min a day
Domain: Risk · Focus area: Executing
How it works
An issue is a current problem. It needs an owner, a priority, a due date and a clear route for escalation if it stalls.
- Set escalation time limits by severity.
- Fix the cause, not just the symptom.
- Report the age of issues.
How to apply it
- Log it with severity.
- Assign one owner.
- Agree a date and next step.
- Escalate if it passes its limit.
In practice
Severity 1: escalate after four hours. Severity 3: review weekly.
Pro tip
Old issues signal bigger trouble than many new ones.
Use it
- Playbook: A vendor is failing
Quick check
What makes an issue different from a risk?
Sources
- PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition, and The Standard for Project Management (PMI, 2025)
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 against the PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition · Practitioner review pending · How this guide is made