Why should you conduct a business continuity review?

1 Identify the scope and objectives

The first step of a business continuity review is to define the scope and objectives of the review. The scope determines what aspects of the business continuity plan will be assessed, such as the scope of the disruption, the critical functions and processes, the recovery time objectives, the roles and responsibilities, and the communication channels. The objectives state what the review aims to achieve, such as identifying gaps, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, validating assumptions and scenarios, testing procedures and protocols, and measuring performance and compliance.

4 Report the findings

The fourth step of a business continuity review is to report the findings and recommendations of the review in a clear, concise, and comprehensive manner. The report should include an executive summary, an introduction, a methodology, a results section, a conclusion, and an appendix. The report should highlight the main findings and recommendations of the review, such as the current state of the business continuity plan, the gaps and risks that need to be addressed, the best practices and opportunities that can be leveraged, and the action plan and timeline for implementing the improvements.

5 Implement the improvements

The fifth step of a business continuity review is to implement the improvements and recommendations that were identified in the report. This step involves developing and executing a detailed action plan that specifies the tasks, responsibilities, resources, deadlines, and indicators for each improvement. This step also involves monitoring and tracking the progress and outcomes of the action plan, resolving any issues or challenges that arise, and communicating and collaborating with the relevant stakeholders throughout the implementation process.

6 Review and update the plan

The sixth and final step of a business continuity review is to review and update the business continuity plan based on the results and feedback of the implementation process. This step involves revising and refining the business continuity plan to reflect the changes and improvements that were made, such as updating the scope, objectives, assumptions, scenarios, procedures, protocols, roles, responsibilities, and communication channels. This step also involves testing and verifying the effectiveness and efficiency of the updated business continuity plan, such as conducting drills, exercises, and audits, and collecting and evaluating feedback.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?