Read the risk heat map

The risk heat map shows, for one matrix, how many risk elements lie in each cell of the matrix, across all the risk analyses that use it. In Risk management, open Risk Heat Map, choose a matrix in Select a matrix, and read the numbers in the grid, one tab per risk type. By default the map counts original risk; switch to Residual risk only or Both original and residual risk to see the residual risk or how it moved.

Before you start

Risk management appears in the left menu only if your company has the module and you have at least the Read right on its row. If you don’t see it, contact your user administrator. See The top bar and the left menu.
The Risk Heat Map tab in Risk management is shown only to users with the Admin right on the Risk management row. Your user administrator grants it; see Give a user access rights.
The map counts assessed risk elements. A risk element appears on a risk-type tab only when both probability and consequence are set for that risk type; see Assess original and residual risk.

Steps

Open Risk management and select Risk Heat Map.
Under Select a matrix, choose the matrix. When you open the tab, the first matrix in the list is selected for you; if your company has a matrix named “Default”, it is listed first, then the other matrices by name. Your choice is kept while you stay in the same browser tab.
Check the analyses under “Select analyses from those connected to matrix”. The list holds every analysis that uses the matrix, and all of them are ticked automatically. Untick an analysis to leave it out, or use Deselect all and Select all. The numbers change at once.
Under Load setup, choose what the cells count:
- Original risk only (default): the original risk of each risk element.
- Residual risk only: the residual risk of each risk element.
- Both original and residual risk: both counts, with arrows from each original-risk cell to the cells where the same risk elements’ residual risk lies. A cell that holds both counts is split diagonally.
Click a risk-type tab above the grid to see that risk type. The first tab is shown first. Changing the tab or the matrix sets the choice back to Original risk only.

If the matrix has no analyses, you see “There are no analyses connected to this matrix” instead of the analysis list.

What a number counts

For one risk-type tab, a number in a cell is the count of risk elements, not analyses, from the ticked analyses whose probability and consequence for that tab put them in that cell. The column is the probability and the row is the consequence.

In original-risk counts, the cell comes from the risk element’s original values (under Risk analysis in the analysis).
In residual-risk counts, the cell comes from the risk element’s residual values (under Residual risk in the analysis).
All risk elements of the ticked analyses are counted, whatever their status and whether or not they are flagged Top 10.
A risk element without both values on a tab is not shown on that tab.

Looking behind a number

Hover over an original-risk number to see a list of the analyses that have risk elements in that cell, with the links Select all | Deselect all. Select all draws arrows from the cell to the residual-risk positions of those risk elements and shows their residual counts. Clicking one analysis in the list highlights the arrows for that analysis. Deselect all, or clicking the original-risk number, removes the arrows. While these arrows are shown, Original risk only stays selected.
Hover over a residual-risk number to see a list of the risk elements in that cell, with the analysis, risk area and risk factor. Click a row to open the analysis at that risk element in a new tab.
Close a list with its X, or by clicking anywhere on the page.

What you should see

A grid per risk type with the matrix’s own probability and consequence texts along the axes and its colours in the cells, and numbers in the cells where risk elements lie.

Good to know

The map always uses the latest matrix version. Above the tabs the page says: “This view always shows the latest version of the matrix. If you have not updated the underlying analyses to the latest version of the matrix you may see discrepancies in colour when you go to the analyses from this view.” When a matrix is changed after analyses started using it, those analyses keep the older version with its colours and texts until they are updated. The heat map places their risk elements on the latest version’s grid and colours, so a cell’s colour on the map can differ from the colour the same risk element has in its analysis. Risk types that exist only in an older version are not shown on the map.
Updating an analysis to the latest version is done in the analysis itself, when the “New matrix version” question appears; see Assess original and residual risk.
Every control is described in The risk heat map.