Causes of Incomplete Risk Identification in Major Transportation Engineering and Construction Projects

Risk management is a widely recognized best practice for project teams to enable successful delivery of major transportation projects. Whereas many risks are identified in workshops conducted during the design stage, other risks relevant to the project are either overlooked, missed, or underassessed, only to occur later in the project lifecycle. There is limited research examining the causes of incomplete risk identification, particularly as it relates to construction projects. Contributing factors of incomplete risk identification were examined through 12 interviews with risk management professionals based on their involvement with projects that experienced a risk that was unidentified or underassessed. The study identified 10 contributing factors through a thematic analysis of the interviews including cognitive biases, communication and alignment, facilitator expertise, imagination, experience, level of detail, management support, process standardization, stakeholder participation, and time constraints. The findings provide key insights into understanding why some but not all risks are identified, and serve as a foundation for improving the identification workshops of major transportation projects.