Risk heatmap workbench

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated April 28, 2026
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of Risk Heatmap Workbench

    The Risk Heatmap Workbench in the Advanced Risk application enables operational risk managers to visualize and analyze risk data through a color-coded matrix format called a risk heatmap. This graphical tool helps you quickly assess your organization's risk posture by displaying risk assessments in a clear and visually engaging way. Starting with version 14.0, the workbench can be accessed via a launch icon for streamlined use.

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    Key Features

    • Risk Visualization: View risk counts by heatmap cells combining factors like Impact (X-axis) and Likelihood (Y-axis), along with risk IDs and detailed risk information in a contextual side panel.
    • Top Risks and Entity Filtering: Filter and display top N risks associated with selected Risk Assessment Methodologies (RAMs) and focus on risks linked to specific entities and their downstream entities.
    • Risk Details: On selecting a risk, detailed information including risk rating, response, tracking, hierarchy, and activity log is accessible. Options include opening the full risk record, viewing a 360° overview, and accessing assessment summaries.
    • Reporting and Trend Analysis: Monitor risk movement from inherent to residual and target risk levels, evaluate the effectiveness of controls, and analyze risk trends over up to five assessments to understand risk management progress.
    • Risk Appetite Monitoring: Visualize risk appetite status and trends directly on the heatmap to align risk levels with organizational thresholds.
    • Filtering and Search: Apply filters using a condition builder to refine risk data shown on the heatmap, save frequently used filters, and search risks by name, owner, or other key fields for quick access.
    • Data Export and Sharing: Download the heatmap as an image or copy heatmap information to the clipboard for inclusion in reports, presentations, or communications with stakeholders.
    • Immersive View: Expand the heatmap for detailed analysis focusing on specific zones with pagination and enhanced axis value highlighting, facilitating deeper risk examination within high-density areas.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging the Risk Heatmap Workbench, you gain a powerful, interactive tool for risk visualization, analysis, and reporting that enhances your ability to:

    • Understand and communicate your organization's risk landscape efficiently.
    • Identify and prioritize top risks for targeted mitigation efforts.
    • Track risk evolution and control effectiveness over time.
    • Align risk management activities with risk appetite thresholds.
    • Customize and share risk insights easily with stakeholders through filtering, searching, and exporting capabilities.
    • Focus on critical risk areas using the immersive view to support more informed decision-making.

    As an operational risk manager, you can visualize the risk details and better understand the risk posture of your entity by using the risk heatmap workbench in the Advanced Risk application.

    Overview of the heatmap workbench

    A risk heatmap is a graphical representation of your risk data where the individual values that are contained in a matrix are represented in colors that denote a meaning. You can use risk heatmaps to see your risk assessment results in a convenient, visually attractive, and succinct format. Starting in version 14.0, you can launch the risk heatmap workbench with the launch workbench Launch Workbench icon. icon.

    Features of the heatmap workbench

    By using the risk heatmap workbench, you can view the following aspects for risks:
    • Risk count: Shows the number of risks that are in each cell on a heatmap such as when an X-axis factor like Impact is combined with a Y-axis factor like Likelihood. Risk count.
    • Risk index: Shows the risk IDs in each cell and the details of each risk on the contextual side panel. Risk index.
    • Risk name: Shows the names of all the risks in each cell. Risk name.
    • Top Risks: Shows the top risks on the heatmap workbench. For example, if you select 10 from the Top Risks filter selection list, you can see all the top 10 risks that are associated with the selected Risk Assessment Methodology (RAM) on the heatmap.
    • Entity: Shows the risks that are associated with the specific entities and their downstream entities on the heatmap workbench. You can filter the risks that are associated with the specific entities that are defined in the RAM.
    By pointing to each risk, you can quickly get details about the risk. For example, you can see who the risk owner is, the entity to which the risk belongs, and the category of the risk. The contextual side panel shows 20 entries at a time on a page. You can configure the total number of entries that you want to see. You can either view all the risks as cards or select a single risk and view its details. After you select a risk from the heatmap cell, you can see the details of that risk on the side panel. For example, you can see the risk rating, the risk response, the risk tracking, and the risk hierarchy. The activity log captures all the activities that are performed on a risk. If you click the more actions icon More Actions icon., you can see the following options:
    • Open: Provides the risk record.
    • 360° view: Provides an overview of the associated entities, controls, risk statements, risk assessments, and risk response tasks.
    • View assessment: Provides an assessment summary of the risk.

    Reporting in the heatmap workbench

    The heatmap workbench is the primary tool that you use for risk reporting and analysis. By looking at the Risk movement and Risk trend, you can visualize your organization's risk profile and share that information with your stakeholders.

    You can view the risk movement from inherent (risk level without controls or mitigating actions), to residual risk (leftover risk after the implementation of controls), finally to target risk (risk level that you want to achieve in future) on the heatmap workbench. This information helps you to analyze the assigned controls to mitigate if the risks are effective or not. The risk movement is available only for RAMs where the residual risk has the same factors as an inherent risk.

    Risk movement.

    You can view the risk score movement across multiple assessments on the heatmap workbench. The risk trend shows how the risk has changed and analyzes how you have been managing the risk. The risk trend is available for the last five risk assessments. You can also disable the trend line on the heatmap for a clear and less cluttered view.

    Risk trend.

    Risk appetite in the heatmap workbench

    You can view the status of the risk appetite on the heatmap workbench. The risk appetite trend is also available on the heatmap. You can also see the details of the risk to get an understanding of the risk appetite status.Risk appetite on the heatmap.

    Filtering in the heatmap workbench

    You can filter the data that you see on the heatmap workbench. For example, let's say that you see 40 entries on the heatmap and you'd like to filter those risks where the entity is ACME Global. You can use the condition builder and apply your filters. After the filters are applied, the heatmap is refreshed and displays the data based on the filter conditions that you have applied. For more information on how to filter the data, see Filter data in the risk heatmap workbench. The ability to filter is only available in the workbench view. You can save the frequently used filters in the My saved filters section.

    Downloading and copying in the heatmap workbench

    You can download or copy the risk heatmap information to include in reports or share with relevant stakeholders as needed. The download Download heatmap icon. icon enables you to download the heatmap as an image. The copy Copy heatmap to clipboard icon. icon enables you to copy the heatmap information in your clipboard. You can then paste it into emails, reports, presentations, or other documents to share the visual data representation as needed.

    Searching in the heatmap workbench

    As a risk user, while looking for a particular risk, you can quickly search a risk by the name, owner, or any of the other information that is shown in the card. You can also filter the data by searching the risks. In the contextual side panel, you can enter your keyword in the search field and the filtered results are visible.
    Note:
    The search feature considers the risk name, risk description, and fields that are shown in the card. For example, if you search for the word Operational, then all risks that have the word operational will appear in the search result.

    Immersive view of the heatmap workbench

    With the immersive view of the heatmap, you can view the expanded form of the heatmap where the X-axis and the Y-axis values are highlighted. The benefit of this view is that if you have too much information in one zone, you can focus on that zone and analyze each risk. The pagination enables you to see all records. You can point to a risk to quickly understand more details about the risk. You can also view the different values of both the axes by clicking the value. For example, let's say that in the heatmap, the X-axis has the values low, medium, and high and the Y-axis has the values unlikely, likely, and almost certain. You can click any value in both the axes to see the risks for that combination.