[OR] eBook Chapter 5: The Plan Phase of OR Planning Methodology

Charting the Course: The Plan Phase of Operational Resilience Planning Methodology

The Plan Phase is the cornerstone of building a robust Operational Resilience (OR) program. It's where you assess your current state, identify areas for improvement, and establish a clear roadmap for achieving operational resilience.

This phase consists of five key stages that guide you in laying the groundwork for a resilient organisation.

Stage 1: Assess Capability and Maturity

This stage involves conducting an OR maturity assessment. This assessment evaluates your organisation's capacity to manage disruptions, identify critical business services (CBS), and implement risk mitigation strategies.

The assessment results provide a baseline for measuring your progress over time. They help identify strengths to leverage and weaknesses to address as you build your OR program.

Stage 2: Analyse the Gap

This stage involves analysing the identified gaps and prioritising them based on their potential impact on your CBS and overall business continuity.

Techniques like risk prioritisation frameworks can be used to assess the severity of each gap and determine which ones require the most immediate attention. This analysis enables you to focus resources on areas with the highest potential for improvement and impact.

Stage 3: Develop Strategy and Roadmap

Having identified the gaps, you now need a strategic plan to close them. This stage involves developing an OR strategy and roadmap.

The strategy outlines your long-term vision for achieving operational resilience, taking into account your industry, risk landscape, and regulatory requirements.

The roadmap translates the strategy into actionable steps. It defines clear goals, timelines, and resource allocation plans for implementing the necessary improvements. The OR strategy and roadmap require approval from executive management. This ensures buy-in from leadership and facilitates the removal of organizational silos.

By fostering cross-functional collaboration, you create an environment where everyone within the organisation shares responsibility for building and maintaining resilience.

Additionally, the plan should promote a culture of resilience practices by integrating them into daily operations. This ensures resilience becomes a continuous and embedded aspect of your organisational DNA.

Stage 4: Confirm Risk Appetite

Risk appetite defines the level of risk your organisation is willing to tolerate in pursuit of its goals.

Establishing a defined risk appetite allows you to make informed decisions about resource allocation and risk mitigation strategies within your OR program.

This stage involves collaborating with senior management to define key performance indicators (KPIs) and key risk indicators (KRIs) that are specific to operational resilience.

KPIs will measure the effectiveness of your OR program, while KRIs will identify potential disruptions before they occur. This comprehensive framework ensures you manage risk within acceptable parameters while optimising your resources for resilience.

Stage 5: Develop and Embed Governance

Operational resilience can't exist in a vacuum. This stage focuses on embedding OR within your existing governance structure.

This ensures a clear framework for decision-making, resource allocation, and oversight of the OR program.

Here, you'll establish roles and responsibilities for various teams and individuals.

Additionally, you will define clear reporting structures and communication protocols to ensure everyone is informed and aligned with the OR program's goals. Integrating OR into your governance framework ensures it becomes a continuous and sustainable practice within your organisation.

Summing Up ...

The Plan Phase is the first step in building a robust OR program.

Following these five stages, you can effectively assess your current state, define your desired future state, and establish a clear roadmap for achieving operational resilience.

This will equip your organisation to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape and emerge stronger from any challenges.

More Information About Operational Resilience Course OR-5000 [OR-5] or OR-300 [OR-3]

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the OR-300 Operational Resilience Implementer [OR-3] course and the OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer [OR-5] course.