Open Issues in Project Management – Definition and Meaning
Open issues (also called issues, open topics, or action items) in project management are unresolved questions, problems, risks, tasks, or decisions identified during the project that still require clarification, processing, or resolution. They are used to systematically track and manage all outstanding work that is not part of the original plan or constitutes a deviation. Open issues are typically recorded in a list (open issues list, issue log) or an issue tracking system and are managed as concrete action items with assigned responsibilities and due dates.
Example, best practice, and further information on the term
In a software development project, for example, an open issue could be a software bug discovered during testing that still needs to be fixed, or an unresolved requirement awaiting a decision from the customer. A proven best practice is to collect open issues centrally, prioritize them, assign responsible persons, and regularly monitor their processing status (e.g., in project meetings). This corresponds to managing agile backlogs or issue management according to PMBOK. Active management of open issues ensures that all relevant topics are addressed, nothing is forgotten, and the project can move forward despite arising problems.