Risk domain — threats (the five negative strategies)
What you'll be able to do
Threats: escalate it, avoid it, transfer it, mitigate it, or accept it. Pick by size and authority.
- Five threat strategies: Escalate, Avoid, Transfer, Mitigate, Accept.
- Escalate when outside PM authority or program/portfolio level.
- Avoid removes the cause; mitigate reduces probability or impact.
A risk is an uncertain event that, if it occurs, has a positive (opportunity) or negative (threat) effect on objectives. PMBOK 8e gives five strategies for *threats*, all PMI-tested verbatim: Escalate, Avoid, Transfer, Mitigate, Accept (memorise the acronym EATMA, or 'Eat Ma'). Each has a typical condition under which it's the right call.
Escalate: the threat falls outside the PM's authority or affects portfolio/program-level objectives. Avoid: change the plan to eliminate the threat entirely (extend schedule, reduce scope, change strategy). Transfer: shift the threat to a third party — insurance, warranty, performance bond, contract clause. Mitigate: reduce probability OR impact (early action is more effective than after the fact). Accept: acknowledge the threat but take no proactive action — fine for low-priority threats or when no other strategy is cost-effective. Active acceptance establishes a contingency reserve; passive acceptance does nothing but periodically review.
On the exam, the right strategy usually depends on three factors: probability, impact, and the threat's relationship to project authority. Big + outside-authority → escalate. Big + within-authority → avoid or mitigate. Small/manageable → accept (often with a contingency reserve). Transferrable to someone better placed → transfer.
Key points
- Five threat strategies: Escalate, Avoid, Transfer, Mitigate, Accept.
- Escalate when outside PM authority or program/portfolio level.
- Avoid removes the cause; mitigate reduces probability or impact.
- Transfer = insurance / warranty / contract clause.
- Active acceptance = contingency reserve; passive acceptance = just monitor.
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