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It will never happen......, but it does!  Following the docklands bomb several years ago, police did not allow office workers back into the area for some time.  How would you, or your business, cope with such disruption.  In many cases a little planning can make a vast difference.  You may have a computer backup tape off site - but do you have a contingency arrangement to run that tape on a compatible computer?  

Finding a compatible computer in a hurry may be difficult, but knowing who could provide you with that facility probably requires little research and has no ongoing cost.

Would you have immediate access to your customers telephone numbers?  A telephone call to explain your problem would be appreciated much more than a non-delivery, because it would let your customer plan ahead.

How much temporary accommodation would you need, what facilities are vital, and where might it be available?

How long would it take to get new supplies, and how quickly could you be back into production?

The Business Continuity Institute have formulated a 10 point aide-memoire of ten main areas to develop effective contingency plans.  The useful pointers are summarised below -

1. Project initiation and management

• Has a Business Continuity Manager been identified? (i.e. who will be responsible)
• Has management support and sponsorship from the most senior management been achieved?

2. Risk evaluation and control

• Has a risk assessment been undertaken?
• Have risk reduction measures been identified to mitigate potential losses?

3. Business impact analysis

• Have the critical business processes been established?
• Have the impacts of loss been identified?
• Are interdependencies between departments known?

4. Developing business continuity strategies

• Have all critical processes been identified and recovery timeframes agreed?
• Has the strategy considered both recovery and risk reduction?
• Is the strategy appropriate to the business and are critical operating requirements supported?

5. Emergency response and operations

• Has a crisis management process been established to respond to incidents?
• Are all team members aware of their responsibilities?

6. Developing and implementing business continuity plans

• Have business continuity plans been developed in support of the strategy?
• Are these plans owned and managed by the business?

7. Awareness and training plans

• Have recovery teams been trained in their roles and responsibilities?
• Are information technology and other specialist groups aware of their response to an incident and can they effectively provide the support required?

8. Maintaining and exercising business continuity plans

• Are all business continuity plans and supporting procedures owned by a nominated business or support person?
• Is plan maintenance undertaken on a regular basis?
• Has a test strategy been developed with exercises and tests undertaken on a regular basis?
• Are plans updated to reflect changes in business strategy?

9. Public relations and crisis co-ordination

• Does the crisis management process include internal and external communications, the media, and support for those directly effected?
• Is a process in place to ensure that all stakeholders are kept informed on an as-needed basis?

10. Co-ordination with public authorities

• Have local authorities and emergency services been included within the plans?
• Have the procedures and policies been developed to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations?

See also Crisis Management, Computers, Risk Assessment

Reminder - disclaimer applies. Please feedback your comments.  This page was last modified 18 May 2002.