STAGE 01 / 16 · ACT 1 · Decide

Initiation

Bring security into a project while the scope, budget and responsibilities are still being agreed. Initiation gives the assessment a clear purpose and an accountable risk owner, so security decisions can inform the project from the outset.

What to do at this stage

  1. 01

    Describe the facility, project or operation and the decision the assessment needs to support.

  2. 02

    Agree the assessment boundaries, resources and level of effort with the sponsor.

  3. 03

    Name the risk owner and record who can approve the scope and subsequent decisions.

Questions to work through

  • What decision will this work inform?
  • Who owns the risk and who approves the scope?
  • What information, time and access will the team need?
AN EXAMPLE IN PRACTICE

For a proposed distribution centre, agree whether the assessment covers site selection, the building, transport interfaces and staff safety before commissioning the work.

A common trap

Starting a detailed assessment before agreeing the scope can produce a technically sound report that answers the wrong question.

Suggested resources

Selected for their likely use at this stage. Resource associations are guidance, not a compliance crosswalk.

Keep the whole life cycle in view

These practical prompts are editorial guidance for the navigator. Consult the published SRMBOK life cycle guide and charts for the full method. About this edition and its sources.

KEEP BUILDING YOUR PRACTICE

A useful next step, in your inbox.

New SRMBOK resources and practical security risk management guidance.

Free to join. Sign up on SRMBOK. Unsubscribe any time.
Join the free newsletter