In a risk assessment, what qualitative scale is most commonly used to rate likelihood and impact?

• A. Very Low, Low, Medium, High, Very High for likelihood and impact
• B. A numerical 1-5 scale
• C. Colors only
• D. Letters A through E

Answer: (A)

In risk assessment, you describe how likely something is and how severe its impact would be using descriptive, non-numeric terms. The most common approach uses a five-point qualitative scale with levels like Very Low, Low, Medium, High, Very High for both likelihood and impact. This setup provides clear, intuitive gradations that are easy to communicate and compare across risks, and it fits well with risk matrices that map likelihood against impact to prioritize actions. Using a numerical 1-5 scale would be quantitative, not qualitative. Colors alone don’t give explicit thresholds, and letters A through E are just arbitrary labels without inherent meaning.