T5: Design Profile for Incident Simulation

Testing Business Continuity Exercises

This is a series of useful templates that you can use to develop the Testing and Exercising program.

Design Profile for Incident Simulation

Explanation

Incident Simulation involves a smaller group – perhaps one or two teams – carrying out a simulation exercise using pre-written test scripts. This template is a checklist for designing the test profile.

Execution/ Monitoring
Objective	To exercise team players in a realistic, pressurized environment
Scope and Scale (Active/Passive; degree of involvement)	Active, business unit coordinators and/or deputies from ALL business units in one location plus relevant support teams with independent controllers
Components to be tested
Plans	Yes
People	Yes
Place	Ideally (Preferably at the EOC)
Resources	Possibly (Voice communications)
Success Criteria	ALL participants confirm that the test was a useful and realistic simulation of a disruptive incident “Was reality suspended?”
Essential Pre-Conditions	An Integrated Table Top Test must have been successfully carried out
Participants
Internal	Yes
External	Yes

Scheduling
Time of Test/Schedule	Pre-arranged, possibly extending beyond office hours
Duration	Maximum of 2 hours
Frequency (mandatory/desirable)	Every 18 months (mandatory), Annually (desirable)
Notice Requirement/Warning	Yes
Briefing of Participants	Yes, a briefing note to be issued at the time of scheduling
Scenario	Yes, with several developments/escalations
Test of plan	Yes
Budget for test	No, unless an external participant involved

Execution/ Monitoring
Controllers	Two controllers, BCC or external consultant if agreed

Document
Documentation (capable of audit) -Track events and degree of success	Controllers’/business unit document checklist. Business Unit log sheets, post-test critique forms

Review/ Measure
Post-Mortem Meeting	Yes - immediate de-brief (in certain cases there may be a need for a more considered review meeting some days later)

Report/ Output
Post-Test Actions (documented) –link to maintenance/reporting	Record the outcome on the standard assessment Pro-forma and document remedial actions required (with responsibilities and target dates)

Maintenance/ Follow-Up
Make amendments to the plan as required	If appropriate, amend the plan(s). Where their remedial action requirement negates earlier test result(s), arrange appropriate re-test(s)

Reference

Goh, M. H. (2006). Testing and Exercising Your Business Continuity Plan. Business Continuity Management Series (2nd ed.). Singapore: GMH Pte Ltd.

Extracted from "Chapter 27: T5: Design Profile for Incident Simulation"

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