Risks exist. The question is what you do about them.

Start by brainstorming. Go through every aspect of your event and ask yourself this question for each one: What could go wrong? Think in terms of categories.

Venue and technical issues: power outage, sound system failure, internet outage, projector or screen malfunction, insufficient capacity for the number of guests. External and weather-related: rain during an outdoor event, extreme heat, extreme cold, traffic causing guests to arrive late, public transportation disruption. Staff and vendors: speaker cancels, performer is sick, catering is late or fails to deliver, host team fails to show up. Guests and safety: medical incident, conflict situation, unexpectedly high or low number of attendees. Fire or evacuation.

Write everything down. A good risk assessment starts with a long list. You can narrow it down later.

Not every risk is equally significant or equally likely. A risk matrix helps you set priorities: which risks deserve the most attention?

Assess each risk along two axes: likelihood and impact. Likelihood: How likely is it that this risk will occur? Score 1 (very unlikely) to 5 (almost certain). Impact: How severe will the consequences be if the risk occurs? Score 1 (negligible) to 5 (event cannot take place or serious damage).

Multiply the likelihood and impact scores; this will give you a risk score ranging from 1 to 25. Risks with a score above 12 require a specific action plan. Risks below 6 are acceptable without additional measures.

Examples for a conference with 400 attendees: power outage (probability 2, impact 5, score 10) → action: arrange for a generator. Cancellation by the keynote speaker (probability 2, impact 4, score 8) → action: have a substitute speaker or alternative program item ready. Rain during outdoor opening (probability 3, impact 3, score 9) → action: provide a tent canopy or an alternative covered reception venue.

The risk assessment is not complete until you have identified a measure for each relevant risk. There are two types of measures: preventive (preventing the risk from occurring) and reactive (what to do if things do go wrong).

Preventive measures are the first step. Make sure you have a generator as a backup. Ensure that all vendors provide a contract and a confirmation email. Establish clear agreements regarding cancellation policies. Schedule a technical rehearsal the day before the event.

Contingency plans are your Plan B. If the keynote speaker cancels, who will take over? If the projector breaks down, is there a backup? If it’s pouring rain, will guests move indoors and will the program be rescheduled? Plan B only works if everyone on the team knows it. Include it in the team briefing—verbally, not just on paper.

See also: Safety at your event: security, first aid, and safety plan →

A risk assessment without assigning responsibilities is only half the job. For each risk, it must be clear who is in charge: who is responsible for monitoring this risk, and who takes action if things go wrong?

Assign a risk owner for each risk. This is usually the person who is also functionally responsible for that aspect of the event. The technical producer is responsible for technical failures. The event manager has final responsibility for speaker cancellations. The production coordinator monitors supplier status.

Document the risk assessment in a simple overview: risk, likelihood, impact, score, preventive measures, reactive measures, and risk owner. A table of one or two pages is sufficient for most events. Share the document with everyone on the core team at least two weeks before the event.

See also: Event insurance: what coverage do you need? →

Experience is the best way to anticipate risks. A production team that has organized a hundred events knows what can go wrong—not just in theory, but from real-world experience. They automatically think of the generator that fails, the speaker who cancels the day before, or the caterer who forgets an ingredient.

At Live Impact, we have a risk assessment template that we customize and complete for every event. We assess the risks together with the client, determine the necessary measures, and ensure that everyone on the team is familiar with the backup plan. On the day of the event, we serve as the eyes and ears on the ground, quickly identifying any potential issues before they arise.

A risk assessment doesn't guarantee that everything will go smoothly. But it does give you the tools to respond quickly and calmly when necessary. That's the difference between panic and professionalism.

Wil je hulp bij het opstellen van een risico-inventarisatie voor jouw evenement? Wij denken mee. Neem contact op via philip@live-impact of bel ons op (085) 401 401 4.

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