Risk Matrices

Modified on Mon, 20 Jul at 6:44 PM

Risk Matrix Configuration

How to create, configure, and assign a risk matrix in Clew

Contents

1. Introduction & Context
2. Key Features & Functions
3. Requirements
4. Step-by-Step Guide
5. Common Issues & Troubleshooting
6. Related Articles

1. Introduction & Context

A risk matrix is a visual tool in Clew that lets you assess and prioritise risks based on their likelihood (the chance of occurring) and severity (the impact if they occur), so your team can decide which risks need immediate attention and how to direct mitigation effort.

For example, a mining operation might rate a potential equipment failure as high severity but low likelihood, while a recurring data-entry error is low severity but high likelihood. The matrix scores each combination so both risks can be compared on a single, consistent scale.

Who is it for? Administrators and risk managers who configure how risks are rated and displayed across projects.

What does it impact? Once a matrix is assigned via a rating strategy, it governs how every risk in the linked project and custom type is rated, scored, and colour-coded. Rating scores are often connected to triggers, so changes to a matrix can affect automated behaviour elsewhere in the platform.

2. Key Features & Functions

Likelihood and severity scales: define the number of likelihood categories (the X-axis) and severity categories (the Y-axis) that make up the grid.
Consequence categories: group severity against real-world impact areas such as Safety, Finance, Reputation, and Environment.
Likelihood categories: describe likelihood in the terms your organisation uses, such as Probability, Industry Frequency, and Project Frequency.
Rating measures: set the score bands that translate a cell score into a named risk level, for example Minor, Moderate, Major, and Extreme.
Compact views: simplify the likelihood or severity scale by hiding detailed probability, frequency, or definition text.
Transpose option: switches severity categories to the top and likelihoods to the side.
Ascending option: controls whether the highest or lowest rating is shown on the risk rating pill.
Rating strategies: assign a matrix to a project and custom type so it is used for live risk assessment.

3. Requirements

Administrator access to the Admin area of Clew.
Access to Admin > Risk Matrices to create and edit matrices.
A project and custom type to link the matrix to, configured through Rating Strategies.

Note: Rating scores are usually connected to triggers. Before changing an existing matrix, review whether your changes affect any triggers.

4. Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a Risk Matrix

Navigate to Admin > Risk Matrices.

The Clew Admin menu with Risk Matrices selected.

The Admin menu with Risk Matrices selected.

Click Add to create a new risk matrix.

The Add button on the Risk Matrices screen used to create a new matrix.

The Add button used to create a new risk matrix.

Fill in the required fields, described in the table below.

Field	Description
Title	Name of the risk matrix (for example, Default Risk Matrix).
Description	Brief description of the matrix.
Number of Likelihoods	Define the number of likelihood categories (X-axis).
Number of Severities	Define the number of severity categories (Y-axis).
Define Views	Compact Likelihood View: simplifies the likelihood scale without probability or frequency details. Compact Severity View: simplifies the severity scale without detailed definitions.
Matrix Type	Type of matrix. These values are pre-configured. Select Default Risk Matrix in this field.
Custom Image	Select an image for the matrix. It appears as a popup when you click the i icon beside the matrix name on the rating show view.
Ascending Option	Tick to show the highest rating on the risk rating pill.
Round Decimal Cell Scores	Rounds decimal scores to the nearest integer.
Transpose Option	Switches severity categories to the top and likelihoods to the side. After transposing a matrix, a note is shown at the top of the admin risk matrix to indicate it will be transposed during rating. This does not apply when rating in Severity Focus or PMC mode.
Footnotes	Provide additional notes or references.

Click Save to apply the changes.

The risk matrix configuration form with fields filled in and the Save button.

The risk matrix configuration form with the Save button.

Defining Categories & Rating Measures

Define consequence categories. Click Add Consequence Category and enter relevant categories (for example, Safety, Finance, Reputation, Environment).

The Add Consequence Category screen listing categories such as Safety, Finance, Reputation and Environment.

Adding consequence categories such as Safety, Finance, Reputation, and Environment.

Define likelihood categories. Click Add Likelihood Category and enter relevant categories (for example, Probability, Industry Frequency, Project Frequency).

The Add Likelihood Category screen listing categories such as Probability, Industry Frequency and Project Frequency.

Adding likelihood categories such as Probability, Industry Frequency, and Project Frequency.

Define rating measures. Click a cell to activate it and enter the appropriate risk levels (for example, 0 to 25 Minor, 25 to 50 Moderate, 50 to 75 Major, 75 to 100 Extreme).

The Rating Measures grid with risk levels such as Minor, Moderate, Major and Extreme.

Rating measures defining risk levels such as Minor, Moderate, Major, and Extreme.

Assigning the Matrix

Assign the matrix. Link it to a project and custom type via Rating Strategies to begin using the matrix for risk assessment.

The Rating Strategies screen where a matrix is linked to a project and custom type.

Linking the matrix to a project and custom type via Rating Strategies.

The configured risk matrix in use, showing rated risk cells and their colour-coded scores.

The configured matrix in use, with colour-coded rating cells.

5. Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Issue	Likely Cause	Solution
The matrix is not available when rating a risk.	The matrix has not been assigned to the project and custom type.	Link the matrix to the relevant project and custom type via Rating Strategies.
Two cells show the same score but different colours on the risk show view.	Decimal rounding is enabled, so cells display the same integer while retaining different underlying risk levels.	This is expected behaviour. To show exact scores, turn off Round Decimal Cell Scores in the matrix edit view.
The rating pill shows the highest rating when you want the lowest (or the reverse).	The Ascending option controls which rating is displayed.	Tick or untick the Ascending checkbox in the Admin Risk Matrix edit view.
A severity or likelihood category cannot be deleted.	Categories cannot be deleted, only deactivated.	Hover over the category, click the edit icon, set Active to No, and click Save.
Changing a rating score produced unexpected results elsewhere.	Rating scores are often connected to triggers.	Review any triggers linked to the matrix before editing scores, and confirm they still behave as intended afterwards.

Best practices:

Agree your likelihood and severity scales before building the matrix, as the number of categories shapes the whole grid.
Use consequence categories that match how your organisation already talks about impact, so ratings are intuitive for end users.
Review connected triggers whenever you change rating scores or measures.
Deactivate categories you no longer need rather than trying to remove them, to preserve historical ratings.