How to test a BCP (Business Continuity Plan)

[Richard W]

Hi All.

We have a BCP and it has never been tested.

My Objectives is to carry out some scenario type tests in a way which will limit the impact on day to day business.

I am thinking of things like

Power failure
Area Closure
Fire
IT Outage
Loss of data

Does anyone have a guide or recommendations of how to go about doing the testing

any help would be great

 

[Stijloor]

A Quick Bump!

Please help a fellow Cover with answering a question!

Thank you very much!!

 

[John Broomfield]

Richard,

You may find this guide useful:

(broken link removed)

Please let us know.

Thanks.

John

 

[Richard Regalado]

Hi All.

We have a BCP and it has never been tested.

My Objectives is to carry out some scenario type tests in a way which will limit the impact on day to day business.

I am thinking of things like

Power failure
Area Closure
Fire
IT Outage
Loss of data

Does anyone have a guide or recommendations of how to go about doing the testing

any help would be great

A quickie reply.

Please check the results of the risk assessment. Base your testing scenarios on the events most likely to harm your business.

For example: if my business is in-land and on top of a mountain, I will not run tsunami-based scenarios for testing. But I will however, test my plans for landslides, avalanches, medevac from top of the mountain, bats!

If you have not done your risk assessment, redo your entire BCP.

Goodnight!

 

[Andyroberts]

Hi! Read Businnes Cintinuity Plan from FEMA.

 

[John Martinez]

A copy of ISO 22301 may help. Contact your local FEMA or County Emergency Preparedness office.

People will perform a "desk top" test. That will limit negative consequences and disruption to business. That said, you have no clue if a back up plan will work until the switch is thrown. You can throw it and find out what to fix, or have an emergency throw it and run around like a chicken with it's head cut off (apologies animal rights people). One way or another it will be tested.

 

[John Martinez]

A copy of ISO 22301 may help. Contact your local FEMA or County Emergency Preparedness office.

People will perform a "desk top" test. That will limit negative consequences and disruption to business. That said, you have no clue if a back up plan will work until the switch is thrown. You can throw it and find out what to fix, or have an emergency throw it and run around like a chicken with it's head cut off (apologies animal rights people). One way or another it will be tested.

And do not forget to update your BCP with lessons learned. Lessons learned can come from testing or from plan activation.