Which of the following describes the difference between an issue and a risk?

• A. Risks are always resolved quickly
• B. Issues have already occurred or are certain to occur; risks have not occurred and may not occur
• C. Issues are future, risks are past
• D. Issues are never tracked

Answer: (B)

The difference hinges on timing and certainty. A risk is a potential future event that could affect objectives; it hasn’t happened yet and may or may not occur. An issue is a problem that has already happened or is currently occurring and needs immediate attention and resolution. So describing issues as something that has already occurred (or is certain to occur) and risks as something that has not occurred (and may not occur) aligns with how teams typically treat them: issues require action now, risks are monitored and managed to prevent or mitigate them. Other statements misstate timing or how risks and issues are handled—for example, risks aren’t guaranteed to occur or be resolved quickly, and issues are not never tracked.