Which of the following is commonly considered a risk area in project risk management?

• A. Marketing strategy
• B. Hardware procurement
• C. Employee holiday schedules
• D. Office decor

Answer: (B)

In project risk management, external dependencies around obtaining necessary components are a fundamental risk area. Hardware procurement is the best example because it brings uncertainties from suppliers, such as lead times, price fluctuations, quality issues, and compatibility problems. If hardware isn’t delivered on time or meets specs, the project’s schedule, budget, and overall success can be jeopardized, making procurement a primary focus for risk planning and mitigation.

Marketing strategy, while important to business outcomes, isn’t typically treated as a standard risk area in PM risk frameworks. Employee holiday schedules can affect resource availability and timing, but those are usually handled as staffing or calendar constraints rather than a core risk category. Office decor has little to do with project risk.