Absolute Mapping

The way Acumen Risk assigns risk impact across multiple activities depends on whether or not you use absolute mapping.

  • When you use no absolute mapping, risk is spread across multiple activities. If you map a risk event to a parent activity with no absolute mapping, the impact of the risk event gets spread across all children activities and is pro-rated based on the relative duration/cost of the children.
  • When you use absolute mapping, total risk is allocated to each activity. If you map a risk event to a parent activity and use absolute mapping, the total impact of the risk event gets allocated to each child activity. After selecting the Absolute Column check box, you can see the changes in the Minimum and Maximum Duration columns on the Mappings tab.

Example of Spreading Risk vs Allocating Total Risk to Multiple Activities

You have the following activities:

Activity Remaining Duration
Activity A 17d
Activity B 65d

You map a high probability risk with a very high schedule impact to Activity A. In the Risk Matrix Template, Very High Impact is set to 120-150 days.

Activity Remaining Duration Minimum Duration Maximum Duration
Activity A 17d 120d 150d

If you map that same risk to Activity B, the risk impact is spread over the two activities.

Activity Remaining Duration Minimum Duration Maximum Duration
Activity A 17d 25d 31d
Activity B 65d 95d 119d

If you map the risk to multiple activities and click the Absolute Mapping option next to the risk, the entire risk impact is allocated to each activity.

Activity Remaining Duration Minimum Duration Maximum Duration
Activity A 17d 120d 150d
Activity B 65d 120d 150d