[BCM] [SIT] [E2] [C7] Testing and Exercising

eBook 2: Chapter 7

Testing and Exercising Phase as Part of the Business Continuity Management Planning Methodology for the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)

Introduction: Building Confidence through Testing and Exercising

Testing and exercising are crucial components of the Business Continuity Management (BCM) lifecycle, ensuring that plans developed on paper can be executed effectively during an actual disruption.

For the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), where academic continuity, digital learning infrastructure, and student support services are critical, these exercises validate that contingency strategies work as intended.

SIT’s approach to testing and exercising under its ISO 22301-aligned BCM framework ensures that staff, faculty, and management are familiar with their roles, that communication pathways are tested, and that recovery procedures are refined.

Through structured and progressive testing, SIT strengthens its organisational resilience—enabling a swift and coordinated response to disruptions such as cyber incidents, infrastructure outages, or system failures.

The testing and exercising phase can be broadly categorised into Initial (Basic) Tests and Advanced Tests, each designed to build capability and confidence progressively.

(a) Initial Tests

Initial tests focus on familiarising personnel with the business continuity plan (BCP), validating basic components, and ensuring that communication channels function effectively.

These tests typically require minimal coordination and serve as a foundation for more complex exercises.

1. Component Tests

Component tests verify the functionality of individual continuity elements or systems within SIT’s BCM framework.

For example:

• Testing the functionality of data backup and recovery systems for SIT’s Learning Management System (LMS) to ensure course materials can be restored in case of system failure.
• Verifying the availability of alternate teaching platforms,   such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom, if the primary online teaching system is unavailable.
• Ensuring the power backup systems and Wi-Fi networks in critical academic and administrative areas operate as intended.

Such tests are often technical and focus on confirming that each element of the recovery strategy performs as designed.

2. Call Notification Tests

This exercise tests SIT’s ability to alert and mobilise key personnel during an incident.

For example:

• Conducting a faculty-wide emergency call tree test to ensure that academic heads, administrative leaders, and IT support teams can be contacted promptly.
• Verifying that communication channels (emails, SMS alerts, WhatsApp groups, or emergency notification systems) reach all designated individuals in real time.

This exercise helps SIT assess the reliability of its contact lists, communication platforms, and escalation procedures.

3. Walkthrough Exercises

A walkthrough is a tabletop-style review where plan owners and response team members meet to review their BCPs and discuss their roles and responsibilities during hypothetical scenarios.

At SIT, this may involve:

• The Academic Continuity Team and IT Services Department are discussing how to resume online learning if the campus network becomes unavailable.
• The Student Affairs Division is reviewing its procedures for supporting students during prolonged campus closure (e.g., health emergencies or civil disruptions).
• Facilities management reviews building access protocols during a physical disruption or maintenance-related shutdown.

Walkthrough exercises enhance awareness, improve coordination among departments, and identify areas in the plan requiring updates.

(b) Advanced Tests

Once SIT has established proficiency through initial tests, it can progress to advanced testing, which integrates multiple functions and simulates real-life conditions.

These exercises validate the organisation’s end-to-end response and recovery capabilities.

1. Integrated Tests

Integrated tests combine multiple recovery components or business units into a coordinated exercise.

For instance:

• SIT’s Registrar’s Office, IT Services, and Academic Programme Administration may jointly simulate a system outage affecting exam scheduling and grading processes.
• The test would assess coordination between departments, data restoration processes, and communication to faculty and students.

This form of testing ensures that interdependencies between academic, administrative, and IT systems are clearly understood and well-coordinated during recovery.

2. Simulation Tests

Simulation tests recreate realistic scenarios without causing actual disruption. Participants perform their roles in real time, testing decision-making, communication, and operational recovery under pressure.

Examples for SIT include:

• Conducting a cyberattack simulation where malware compromises the digital learning environment. The IT Services team must isolate affected systems, restore backups, and communicate recovery timelines to staff and students.
• A campus evacuation simulation involving coordination between facilities, student support, and emergency services, ensuring safe assembly and continuity of operations at a backup location.

Simulation tests are instrumental in enhancing readiness and uncovering gaps in procedures, training, or resource allocation.

3. Live Tests

Live tests are the most comprehensive and realistic exercises. They involve the actual activation of business continuity arrangements and partial or full relocation of operations to alternate sites.

At SIT, a live test might include:

• Temporarily relocating the Student Administration Office to an alternate campus facility to test its ability to operate remotely.
• Switching the Learning Management System to a backup data centre to verify minimal downtime during live teaching sessions.
• Implementing a remote working scenario for administrative teams to ensure business continuity during a public transportation shutdown or widespread health emergency.

These tests validate SIT’s complete readiness to respond to and recover from disruptions, confirming that plans are effective under realistic conditions.

Strengthening Organisational Readiness through Continuous Testing

For the Singapore Institute of Technology, the testing and exercising phase represents the culmination of its BCM planning efforts—transforming written plans into actionable capabilities.

Through progressive exercises, from initial component tests to advanced live simulations, SIT ensures that every individual understands their role in maintaining learning continuity.

This systematic approach underpins SIT’s commitment to operational excellence, ensuring that its academic mission continues even amidst unforeseen disruptions.

Testing and exercising not only validate the resilience of its systems and people but also foster a culture of preparedness, adaptability, and confidence—core to sustaining SIT’s vision as a future-ready university for applied learning