How to Test a Business Continuity Plan

How to Test a Business Continuity Plan

Although a full interruption test of a business continuity plan takes time, effort, and money to complete, its benefits outweigh its cost. Testing the plan helps determine its feasibility, verifies backup facility compatibility, ensures the procedures for various continuity teams work separately and in conjunction with one another, identifies deficiencies and trains personnel.

* Create the test criteria, including objectives, coordination, documentation procedures, observers and frequency of tests.

* Develop the test scenarios — the more authentic, the better, i.e. use a tornado scenario if you are in Texas. Remember to eliminate randomly-chosen personnel to model that in a real emergency, some key personnel may not be available. Use these personnel as observers.

* Allocate appropriate resources, including time, money and personnel. Set aside a day for the test. For the first test, the best choice is a day the business would not normally be open, during a period in the month that avoids critical points in the processing cycle.

* Conduct the full interruption test. This activates all aspects of the plan and tests all departments. It provides the closest approximation to an actual disruption or disaster.

* Analyze the results and update the plan accordingly. Testing plans identifies problems, inconsistencies and cross-training needs.

A full interruption test of your business continuity plan benefits your organization by training the personnel through a live event while testing the plan’s efficacy. Initial tests require testing outside normal business hours but, after honing the plan, occasional surprise tests can spot test preparedness.