Program Management: Awareness and Training

Overview

When a DR Plan is reckoned to be needed for the organization, awareness and training should be seriously considered and put into action.

This is so as to raise the awareness and understanding of all personnel in management to appreciate the benefits of having a DR Plan and the negative impacts of not having one, the methodology for developing the DR Plan, the DR processes and procedures required, the skill-sets needed to carry our recovery works, etc.

Well-trained personnel, with a high level of awareness, are critical in ensuring a successful recovery from a disaster situation.

Ironically, the importance of awareness and training (Goh, 2010b) are typically overlooked after a huge amount of time and resources have been spent in building up the DR Plan. Consider this scenario in which an employee of the organization does not know how to use a fire extinguisher, or even worse, he or she may not even be aware of the location of the extinguishers.

A well designed DR Plan can address the most significant reaction when a fire is detected in the organization. Unfortunately, it is simply not possible for an employee to start reading the DR Plan when a disaster strikes.

Instead, training will help to motivate the employee to familiarize himself or herself with the basic use of equipment in the event of a disaster. The training does not need to be extensive. It should, however, provide a foundation to build on; preparing the employee to comprehend detailed DR processes and procedures in the DR Plan, and take on a more demanding recovery role.

Awareness and Training Approach

For a training program to be effective, it must address major points to ensure the following:

• Key personnel, who are involved in DR, understand the policies and procedures laid out in the plan
• Employees know what procedure to follow when a disaster occurs
• Employees know how to use disaster management equipment in DR
• Personnel understands their roles and responsibilities in DR
• Full support from Executive Management

The main objective is to create awareness of the DR processes and procedures so that all staff is updated and trained on all recovery procedures on a regular basis.

Awareness and Training Program Development Process

To develop an effective awareness session or training program, you need to adopt a structural approach that comprises the following main phases.

Analysis

Analyze the requirements of the awareness session and training program for different groups of audiences such as management, middle managers, and general staff. Identify the most effective means of communicating to the target audiences.

Sourcing

Sourcing will encompass all resources that are required to carry out the development of awareness and training programs. Some of these resources include:

• Instructors, both in-house or external, who are suitable to conduct the awareness or training programs
• Materials such as books, video films, posters, etc. Consider whether you can get them off the self or if there is a need to engage people to develop them or whether you can do it in-house
• The appropriate model to adopt for the awareness or training programs. They can take the forms of seminars, lunchtime talks, classrooms, exercises, computer-based e-learning

Development

Develop the various components of the awareness session or training program, such as the session plan, presentation slides, study cases, video firms, exercises, test questions and so on.

Delivery

Deliver the awareness sessions and training programs according to the scope, session plan and time schedule. Always follow up with an assessment of the session or program effectiveness through feedback forms, discussions or review meetings.

Evaluation

Evaluate the effectiveness of the awareness sessions or training programs through feedback forms and discussions with participants. Then review, refine or even redevelop the program to enhance its effectiveness and results.

Reference

Goh, M. H. (2016). A Manager's Guide to Implementing Your IT Disaster Recovery Plan. Business Continuity Management Specialist Series (2nd ed.). Singapore: GMH Pte Ltd.

Extracted from "Chapter 15: 15 Program Management: Awareness and Training"