Meaning

When an APM, PM, or Superintendent recognizes a potential risk but does not surface it, the project loses optionality. Time passes, constraints tighten, and decisions that could have been made calmly are replaced by reactions made under pressure.

Risk does not disappear when it is ignored. It simply moves forward until it becomes unavoidable, often at the moment when the fewest options remain.

Example Under Pressure

An APM notices a detail in the drawings that appears unclear and may conflict with field conditions. The issue is discussed informally with a trade partner, who says they will “work around it.” No RFI is submitted, and the concern is not documented or elevated.

Weeks later, the installation is inspected and fails because it does not align with the drawings. At that point, the issue is no longer a question, it’s a problem. Rework of the installation, schedule impact, and cost impact follow. Options that existed earlier are gone because the risk was never made visible when it could still be addressed cleanly.

Principle Clarification

This principle establishes that surfacing risk early is not an overreaction; it is a control function. At the moment risk is identified, options to resolve it are typically abundant, and visibility preserves those choices.

When risk is hidden or delayed, options disappear. Decision-making gives way to damage control, and authority is forced to respond to outcomes rather than guide them.

“Early visibility keeps decisions ahead of consequences”