Using risk assessments to determine areas to be included in an audit plan is a primary benefit because it helps to prioritize the audit activities based on the level of risk and the potential impact of the audit findings. This way, the audit resources, such as time, staff, and budget, can be allocated more efficiently and effectively to the areas that need the most attention and provide the most value.
References
ISACA CISA Review Manual, 27th Edition, page 256
What is the Purpose of a Risk Assessment?
Mastering the Process of Risk Assessment

The best recommendation to address the problem of missing IT deadlines on important projects because IT resources are not prioritized properly is to implement project portfolio management (PPM). PPM is the process of analyzing and optimizing the costs, resources, technologies, and processes for all the projects and programs within a portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of projects, programs, and processes that are managed together and aligned with the strategic goals and objectives of the organization. PPM can help the organization to:
Prioritize the most valuable and relevant projects and programs based on their alignment with the organizational strategy, vision, and mission.
Balance the portfolio to ensure that the projects and programs are diversified, feasible, and sustainable, and that they meet the needs and expectations of the stakeholders.
Optimize the allocation, utilization, and coordination of IT resources across the portfolio, such as staff, budget, time, equipment, and software.
Monitor and control the performance and progress of the projects and programs within the portfolio, and evaluate their outcomes and benefits.
By implementing PPM, the organization can improve its IT project delivery and avoid missing deadlines.
PPM can also help the organization to increase its efficiency, effectiveness, quality, and value. For more information about PPM, you can refer to the following web search results:
Project Portfolio Management (PPM): The Ultimate Guide - ProjectManager1 A Complete Overview of Project Portfolio Management - Smartsheet2 PPM 101: What Is Project Portfolio Management?3

The most important thing for an IS auditor to verify when reviewing the use of an outsourcer for disposal of storage media is that the vendor's process appropriately sanitizes the media before disposal. As explained in the previous question, storage media may contain sensitive or confidential information that needs to be protected from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. The IS auditor should verify that the vendor has a process that appropriately sanitizes the media before disposal, such as wiping, degaussing, shredding, or incinerating, and that the process is effective and compliant with the organization's policies and standards. The other options are not as important as verifying the vendor's process, because they either do not ensure the security and privacy of the information on the media, or they are secondary to the vendor's process. References: CISA Review Manual (Digital Version)1, Chapter 5, Section 5.2.7