RAID vs TAP.
RAID logs — Risks, Actions, Issues, Decisions — have been the standard work-item system for program managers for decades. SAGE uses a different approach: the TAP Log (Touchpoints, Alignments, Problems) that threads the same concerns around the underlying problem rather than keeping four parallel lists. This page explains the concept, the difference, and how to pick the right one for your program.
What is a RAID log?
A RAID log is a single register where program managers track four types of work items:
- Risks — things that might happen and could impact the program
- Actions — specific tasks the team commits to completing
- Issues — risks that have materialized and are now active
- Decisions — choices made during the program, with rationale
Most RAID logs are spreadsheets with four tabs or four columns. The log gets updated in regular steering meetings and referenced during governance reviews. The strength of RAID is its simplicity and wide familiarity; the weakness is that the four lists rarely connect — a Risk that becomes an Issue lives in two places, and the Decisions that resolved it live somewhere else entirely.
The TAP Log: a touchpoint-indexed alternative
SAGE's TAP Log captures the same concerns but organizes them differently. Every work item is either a Problem (the root), an Alignment (a decision made about a problem), or a Touchpoint (a meeting where problems and alignments are discussed). Actions and Decisions link to these, rather than being their own parallel lists.
The practical effect: a program's running record forms threads. A problem thread might contain three alignments, five linked actions, two linked decisions, and twelve touchpoints — all traceable back to the root. When someone asks "why did we do that?" a year later, the answer is one click away.
Side by side
| Dimension | RAID | TAP (Touchpoints, Alignments, Problems) |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Four parallel lists | Problem threads with linked items |
| Risks | First-class list | Problems of type "risk" |
| Issues | First-class list | Problems of type "issue" |
| Assumptions / Dependencies | Often missing or added ad hoc (RAAID, RAAIDD) | Problems of type "assumption" / "dependency" |
| Decisions | Separate list | Alignments, linked to the problem that prompted them |
| Meetings | Usually elsewhere | Touchpoints, linked to the problems and alignments discussed |
| Actions | First-class list | Linked entity, tied to problem or alignment |
| Traceability | Low | High — every item threads back to a problem |
| Tool fit | Spreadsheet-friendly | Structured data; needs a relational model |
Which one to use
If you're running a small program in a team that already lives in a spreadsheet, a RAID log is fine. If you're running multiple programs across a portfolio and want to answer questions like "what decisions did we make about Problem X across all our programs?" or "which touchpoints discussed Alignment Y?", a TAP Log will pay for itself fast.
RAID log FAQ
What does RAID stand for?
Risks, Actions, Issues, and Decisions. A RAID log is a register where program managers track all four so nothing gets lost during execution.
What's the difference between a risk and an issue?
A risk is something that might happen; an issue is something that has happened. Most RAID logs track both and the transitions between them.
Does SAGE use a RAID log?
SAGE uses a TAP Log — Touchpoints, Alignments, Problems — that captures the same concerns but threads them around the underlying problem rather than keeping four parallel lists.