What is RAID management? A complete guide

When client-facing projects lack a structured approach to manage risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies, things quickly spiral out of control. Teams may face missed deadlines, unhappy clients, and unexpected budget overruns.

When there’s no common framework in place, teams scramble to react instead of proactively planning for challenges, putting both project success and client trust at risk. 

This is especially critical for professional services firms, where multiple stakeholders, complex projects, and tight timelines are the norm. The RAID technique provides a simple yet powerful way to bring visibility, accountability, and control to every stage of project delivery.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through RAID management using a scenario on how a Salesforce implementation company would approach it. The same approach applies to other CRM, HCM, and ERP implementation partners, global system integrators or any consulting firm running client-facing projects, regardless of size or complexity.

In this article

• What is RAID management in project management?
• What does RAID stand for?
• Examples of RAID in project management
• When to do a RAID analysis
• How to do a RAID analysis
• Key takeaways on RAID management

What is RAID management in project management?

RAID management in project management refers to systematically tracking and managing four crucial aspects of a project: Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies​. It’s a framework that project managers use to anticipate potential obstacles and plan responses before those obstacles turn into full-blown problems. 

In practice, RAID management means routinely asking questions like: “What could go wrong? What am I assuming? What problems exist right now? What needs to happen before something else can?” and documenting the answers. This approach ensures you navigate obstacles and complete projects successfully by enabling proactive decision-making​. 

What does RAID stand for?

RAID is an acronym that stands for Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies. Let’s unpack each component:

Risks

Potential events or conditions that may negatively impact the project if they occur. A risk hasn’t happened yet, but it’s something you want to monitor and mitigate. For example, a risk might be the chance of a key developer leaving during a critical phase. Risks are essentially the project’s “what-ifs” that could derail timelines or outcomes.

Assumptions

Things you believe to be true for the project’s success, but which are not guaranteed. These are the conditions we take for granted while planning. For instance, assuming that a client will provide necessary data by a certain date is an assumption. If an assumption proves false, it can become a risk or issue. Documenting assumptions ensures everyone is aware of these uncertain conditions​.

Issues

Current problems that are actively affecting the project or have already occurred. These need immediate attention and resolution. For example, a bug in a software module that’s causing delays is an issue. Unlike risks, issues are happening now (or definitely will happen) and must be managed so the project can move forward.

Dependencies

Relationships between tasks or activities where one thing relies on another. A dependency means Task B can’t finish (or start) until Task A is completed. For example, in a project, the “Data Migration” task might depend on the “Database Setup” being finished. Identifying dependencies helps sequence work properly and avoid bottlenecks or idle time​.

Each element of RAID represents a category of project factors you should track. RAID management ensures you don’t overlook critical details by breaking potential project challenges into these four buckets.

Examples of RAID in project management

The primary purpose of RAID management is to ensure that no potential roadblock goes unnoticed or unmanaged. Recording risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies in a structured way enables project managers to anticipate problems and address them before they impact project deadlines or budgets. In other words, RAID is about being proactive rather than reactive.

To truly understand how RAID management works, it helps to look at real-world examples of each element within the context of a project. The following examples are designed to bring each component of RAID to life and demonstrate how they might show up during project delivery.

For this section, we’ll use the scenario of a Salesforce CRM implementation for a client as our reference point. However, the same RAID framework applies just as well to other client-facing IT service projects, be it implementing a CRM, HCM, ERP system, or delivering a custom consulting engagement.

Sample RAID log for a Salesforce implementation project

Throughout the engagement, the Salesforce implementation partner uses a RAID log to capture these details in a structured way. Each entry in the log is given a unique ID and categorized as a Risk, Assumption, Issue, or Dependency. 

Risk: Integration challenges

If an integration isn’t ready, critical data may not flow between systems, disrupting sales processes. For example, mismatched data fields or communication problems could block order or lead data sync, potentially delaying go-live or requiring manual work.

Assumption: No major scope changes

The project scope is assumed to remain as defined in the SOW. Any new feature requests will be minor and not require fundamental design changes or extended timeline (larger requests to be scheduled post go-live).

Issue: Lead assignment bug (UAT)

User testing uncovered that lead assignment rules aren’t firing correctly; some new leads remained unassigned to any owner. This is a configuration bug affecting the lead routing process.

Dependency: Salesforce org and licenses

The Salesforce production org and necessary licenses must be set up for the project. This includes sandbox availability for development and production environment readiness for deployment.

When to do a RAID analysis

When in the project lifecycle should you conduct a RAID analysis? The short answer is: as early as possible, and then continuously. Ideally, you perform an initial RAID analysis during the project planning or kickoff phase. 

Starting early means you’re identifying risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies before the project work is fully underway. This early analysis helps in creating a realistic project plan with appropriate risk mitigation and contingency in place.

After the initial setup, RAID management is an ongoing process. You should maintain and update the RAID log throughout the project’s lifecycle. Many teams review RAID items during regular status meetings or milestone checkpoints. Whenever a new risk arises or an assumption changes, you update the log. Likewise, if an issue is resolved or a dependency is delivered, you mark it accordingly. This ensures the RAID log stays current and relevant.

Use RAID analysis for projects where the stakes are high or there are many uncertainty factors. It will help you catch significant risks and issues that could impact project outcomes​. 

How to do a RAID analysis

Implementing RAID management is straightforward and can be done in a series of structured steps. Below is a step-by-step guide for conducting a RAID analysis, which you can apply to any project. To help bring each step of the RAID process to life, let’s take the previous example of a Salesforce implementation project. 

Define project scope and objectives

Before identifying any risks or issues, ensure the team has a shared understanding of the project’s scope, deliverables, and goals. This clarity sets the foundation for meaningful RAID analysis. If you don’t know what success looks like, you can’t spot what might derail it.

For instance, a mid-sized company might define the scope of its Salesforce CRM rollout to include migrating all customer and sales data from a legacy system and configuring Salesforce for the sales team’s processes. 

The project could also involve integrating Salesforce with the company’s marketing automation platform. Objectives for this implementation might include improving lead conversion rates by 20% and providing managers with real-time visibility into the sales pipeline through Salesforce dashboards.

Identify RAID items through brainstorming

Bring together your project team and stakeholders to brainstorm potential Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies. Use guiding questions like:

• “What could go wrong?” (Risks)
• “What are we assuming to be true?” (Assumptions)
• “What problems are we already dealing with?” (Issues)
• “What tasks or events are dependent on others?” (Dependencies)
  Encourage open participation and aim to uncover both obvious and less apparent items.

Let’s consider an example. During a brainstorming session for a CRM implementation, the team might identify a range of RAID items. For instance, they could highlight a risk that some legacy customer data will not migrate correctly into the CRM, and an assumption that all sales reps will complete their training before the go-live date. They may also flag an issue with inconsistent data in the current system and a dependency on a third-party marketing platform being ready to integrate with Salesforce.

Categorize and document in a RAID log

Capture each item in a RAID log: a table, spreadsheet, or dedicated section in your project management tool. For each entry, include:

• Category (R/A/I/D)
• Description
• Owner responsible
• Relevant dates or deadlines
• Priority or impact level

The project manager records each of these items in a RAID log under the appropriate category. For instance, the potential data migration failure is logged under Risks, the assumption that the sales team will complete training on time is noted under Assumptions, the data inconsistency problem goes into Issues, and the integration with the marketing platform is recorded under Dependencies. 

Categorizing and documenting everything in one RAID log allows the team to easily track all the risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies throughout the project.

Prioritize items based on impact and urgency

Not every RAID entry needs immediate action. Assess each item’s likelihood and potential impact. Prioritize high-risk or high-impact entries and ensure they’re addressed quickly. This helps you focus energy on what could truly derail the project.

In the project, the team might label the risk of a failed data migration as high impact and urgent since it could delay the entire rollout if not addressed quickly. By contrast, an assumption about user training could be marked low impact or low urgency because training sessions are already planned. 

This prioritization ensures that high-impact items like data migration issues or integration delays get immediate attention, while less pressing concerns are handled in due course.

Create action plans and assign owners

Turn your RAID log into a proactive tool:

• For Risks, define mitigation or contingency plans.
• For Assumptions, plan how and when to validate them.
• For Issues, document the resolution plan and assign ownership.
• For Dependencies, track timelines and ensure responsible parties are aligned.

For instance, to manage the data migration risk in the Salesforce project, the team creates an action plan to run a test migration and data cleanup, assigning the data migration lead as the owner of that task. They also assign the third-party integration dependency to a technical lead, who will coordinate with the vendor to ensure the integration is completed on schedule. Having a designated owner and plan for each high-priority RAID item in the Salesforce rollout ensures that nothing falls through the cracks.

Monitor and communicate regularly

Review the RAID log during status meetings or project checkpoints. Update the status of items as they evolve, new risks may arise, assumptions may be validated, or issues resolved. Share key updates with clients and stakeholders to keep everyone informed and aligned. Open communication ensures there are no surprises and builds trust throughout the project lifecycle.

For example, the project manager might hold a weekly review meeting to go over the RAID log and update the status of each item. If the data migration test succeeds and resolves that risk, they mark it as closed and inform all stakeholders in the weekly project update. Similarly, if a new issue arises like an integration bug, it is promptly added to the RAID log and communicated to the team so everyone stays informed.

Key takeaways on RAID management

RAID management is a simple yet powerful technique to bring clarity and control to complex projects. Proactively identifying and tracking risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies helps teams stay ahead of potential roadblocks and ensure smoother delivery. 

A well-maintained RAID log keeps your team aligned, your stakeholders informed, and your project on track. The earlier you start, and the more consistently you update it, the more value you’ll unlock from this framework.

Rocketlane helps you stay ahead of RAID elements by identifying risks early through warning signals, real-time visibility into delays, and automated alerts for both your team and clients. Ready to manage RAID with Rocketlane’s robust PSA tool? Book a demo and try Rocketlane today!

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