In the field of risk management, decision-aiding is often confused with and reduced to a problem of assessment. The decision-aiding cycle (canonical model) presented in this paper consists in several steps ranging from "stating and framing the decision problem" to "working out recommendations". The kernel of the canonical model relies on two main steps: "resorting to a decision-making model" and "eliciting judgmental information". Moreover, the canonical model is exemplified and tested on two fullscale cases experienced at EDF and INERIS from which elements of guidance are drawn. When dealing with risks, addressing such methodological questions should yield a sound basis of exchanges between the analyst and the decision-maker. Decision-aiding could therefore be more efficiently implemented to determine appropriate choices and justify them.