Risk
Risk is the possibility that an event may occur and negatively affect the achievement of objectives.
“A factor that could result in future negative consequences.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Risk?
Risks are evaluated based on their likelihood of occurring and the impact they would have if they occur.
Uncertainty: Risks may or may not happen.
Potential impact: Risks can affect quality, cost, schedule, or security.
Management activity: Risks should be identified and monitored continuously.
Real World Example
A regulated product team is preparing a release where Risk appears in reviews, test design conversations, or defect triage rather than as an isolated glossary word.
The risk is that the team treats Risk as interchangeable with nearby ISTQB terms. That makes test scope blurry and can lead to weak evidence for the release decision.
The tester anchors the discussion in the official definition, asks where the concept appears in the product, and designs examples that show the difference between Risk and similar ideas.
The page becomes useful in practice because Risk is connected to a specific testing decision, not memorized as a detached definition.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Risk in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Risk to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
Test your knowledge with real ISTQB-style questions
You’ve learned Risk. Test your understanding with topic-specific questions in our Mock Exams.