In the original case study project, a business plans to establish a computer network for its employees on multiple floors of the office building. This involves four primary steps. First installing the hardware in the building on each floor, next hooking up an internet network in the whole building, and third getting the phone lines connected to the computers, while finally setting up a location that acts as a resource center to address problems with the system set up. These steps introduce a number of issues that are potential risk factors. However, the majority of concerns relate primarily to the technological side of the project. This entails risks of spyware, malware, and other virus issues. But it also includes issues of privacy. I will outline the main risk factors and offer a risk assessment tool that will help in the case study just summarized.

T. Duggan (2014) identifies the reason why risk management and controls are important for the developers of videogames. She writes, “To ensure your project’s success, define how you will handle potential risks so you can identify, mitigate or avoid problems when you need to do. Successful project managers recognize that risk management is important, because achieving a project’s goals depends on planning, preparation, results and evaluation that contribute to achieving strategic goals.” Hence, a risk assessment tool must be able to look ahead and predict the issues that might arise. The first aspect of the tool will be to account for upcoming technological progress, feasible problems that might arise in the future, but also a tool that establishes a base line plan. So the risk assessment tool first considers the when of the problem and the risk: how far will we need to plan ahead?

Risks, according to Duggan, center on the project’s goals: “to ensure your project’s success . . . achieving a project’s goals.” Thus, in the second place, the risk assessment tool will categorize the potential risks based on their relationship to the project’s goals. This will first involve the set up stage for the business case study but then transfer into the maintenance and performance of the computer network.

Those in technological security finally look at some practical steps taken to eliminate or reduce risk (Whitman & Mattord, 2012). First, every user should also be sure that their systems are password protected to avoid their accounts being tampered with. And second, provide your employees with laptops rather than desktops, since the users can carry these systems to any place and further ensure their security. The risk assessment tool will account for both of these issues. In the first place, the tool will need to establish a set of criteria and standards for personal users and the amount of password protection that they have on their personal device as well as for the network overall.

In the second place, the risk assessment tool will consider the hardware. Different systems and networks have different levels and types of risks. It seems that in the case study, the hard line network will need to establish a strong internal security and then set itself up as an entity protected as a whole from the outside. In short, the risk assessment tool will include a protocol for internal issues within the business and its users but also an external security system.

In conclusion, the risk assessment tool for the business case study is focused on technology. It will account for planning and timing but also current issues of virus and network hacks as well as the personal and corporate security necessary in the case study at hand.