Contingency Planning

Contingency Planning needs to be supported right from the top, senior staff need to decide who is the lead for contingency planning. Usually a Strategic Planner. A good place to look may be that quality department. A contingency plan is a requirement for many quality systems - you may want to go to your Quality Department for guidance on plans or processes that are already in development.

Contingency Planning - first

The organization wide contingency plan leader provides tools, skills and a knowledge base so that each department can write its own contingency plans. The leader's key functions are to provide a common means for writing and reporting; to train; to set deadlines; to promote enthusiasm and to mentor.

In essence he/she becomes the “Champion”. The organization-wide lead provides the organization with common tools and training so that everyone is following a similar process that produces a standardized plan.

After the leader trains and equips a person in every department to act as an area leader, the localized contingency planning process includes the following elements:

• List every business process in the department.

• List the tasks for every business process and the steps it takes to complete these tasks.

• For every step, list every dependency (computer hardware, software, external & internal suppliers.)

• Rate the likelihood for each dependency to fail (Prioritize! Usually a 1-High, 2-Medium or 3-Low works well.

Contingency Planning - next

Assume that every dependency will fail, beginning with 1-High dependencies. Write a contingency action that accomplishes the task without relying upon the dependency.

Once you’ve analyzed business functions this way, you’ll be able to create contingencies at the appropriate places. In many areas, the contingency will be at the task level; in other areas at the process level; still others may be at the department level.

In some cases, no viable contingency is possible. If power goes down, and you have no generator, you aren't doing any business. If this is the situation with any specific process, make a note of it and describe what you’ll do if the dependency fails.

Structure your contingency plan positively - involve the appropriate people and the right amount of people - it’s a big task, after all. It will require input from many people.

Next comes testing! But that is enough for now!