What distinguishes a project risk from an issue?

Why

Suppose a supplier might be late delivering sequencing kits. That is a risk: assign probability or likelihood, consequences, owner, trigger and mitigation. Once the supplier confirms the shipment is delayed, it becomes an issue requiring a recovery plan, communication and an action deadline.

The assay may depend on those kits even before a delay exists. That relationship is a dependency. Maintain an appropriate risk register and separate issue or action log, linking them when an anticipated risk materialises.

Watch the critical path, contingency capacity and which decisions are blocked. A dependency can be managed successfully with no adverse event, while an issue can arise without having been anticipated. Reporting all three as interchangeable makes schedules harder to trust and hides whether teams are preparing or responding.