A facilities risk register heat map is pasted into public board minutes without likelihood, consequence, or mitigation context, and tenants panic about red cells. What should the risk communicator do next time?

Technical risk artifacts such as heat maps encode likelihood, consequence, and residual status that specialists understand but lay audiences often misread. Effective communication strategy requires framing: define scales, distinguish inherent from residual risk, and describe mitigations already underway. Publishing visuals without that context can create unnecessary alarm and erode trust. Governance and public materials should therefore pair graphics with plain-language explanation tailored to the audience.