Training Module
Training Module
Business Continuity Plans, Response & Exercising
Understand continuity plan structure, response roles and communications, and exercising approaches aligned to continuity requirements
Understand
Implement
Manage
Audit
Training module overview
Many organisations have continuity plans that look complete but don’t work under pressure: unclear activation criteria, role confusion, missing dependency information, and escalation/communication steps that rely on individual knowledge. Exercises then become “tick-box” events that confirm the plan exists rather than whether it can be used.
This full-day ISO 22301 specialisation module covers continuity planning outputs and operational readiness: how to structure and maintain continuity plans, how to organise response roles and communications, and how to design and run exercises that validate assumptions and trigger improvements. It assumes that BIA outputs and strategy decisions exist as inputs; it does not teach BIA execution or continuity strategy design, which are covered in the dedicated ISO 22301 modules.
Many organisations have continuity plans that look complete but don’t work under pressure: unclear activation criteria, role confusion, missing dependency information, and escalation/communication steps that rely on individual knowledge. Exercises then become “tick-box” events that confirm the plan exists rather than whether it can be used.
This full-day ISO 22301 specialisation module covers continuity planning outputs and operational readiness: how to structure and maintain continuity plans, how to organise response roles and communications, and how to design and run exercises that validate assumptions and trigger improvements. It assumes that BIA outputs and strategy decisions exist as inputs; it does not teach BIA execution or continuity strategy design, which are covered in the dedicated ISO 22301 modules.
Target audience
Business continuity managers, coordinators, and implementers responsible for plan development and readiness
Process/service owners contributing activity-level response content and recovery steps
IT service continuity / DR leads integrating technical recovery actions with business response coordination
Crisis/incident coordinators and communications leads working within continuity response structures
Internal auditors and assurance professionals needing domain understanding of what ISO 22301-aligned plans, response arrangements, and exercising typically look like (audit craft assumed from the audit track)
Business continuity managers, coordinators, and implementers responsible for plan development and readiness
Process/service owners contributing activity-level response content and recovery steps
IT service continuity / DR leads integrating technical recovery actions with business response coordination
Crisis/incident coordinators and communications leads working within continuity response structures
Internal auditors and assurance professionals needing domain understanding of what ISO 22301-aligned plans, response arrangements, and exercising typically look like (audit craft assumed from the audit track)
Agenda
Plans, response, and exercising in the ISO 22301 operating model
Boundaries: planning and exercising vs. BIA and strategy selection
Inputs and outputs: what must be traceable from requirements to plans
Continuity plan architecture and usability
Plan types and hierarchy (organisation-level vs. activity/service-level)
Usability design: triggers, decision steps, roles, and “minimum information to act”
Response organisation and role clarity
Response structure, responsibilities, and escalation paths
Interfaces with incident/crisis arrangements and operational teams (avoiding parallel structures)
Activation, coordination, and communications
Activation criteria, initial actions, and coordination cadence
Communications: stakeholder categories, messages, channels, and approval paths
Recovery actions and hand-offs
Sequencing and hand-offs between business recovery and enabling recovery (e.g., IT, facilities, suppliers)
Managing assumptions and constraints during recovery (what to decide, what to document)
Exercising to validate readiness
Exercise purpose and types (discussion-based through to technical validation, as applicable)
Designing scenarios that test critical assumptions and coordination—not just documentation
Capturing outcomes and driving follow-up
After-action review structure: findings, decisions, and ownership
Linking exercise results to corrective action and improvement routines (without re-teaching improvement mechanics)
Technology as an enabler
Plan accessibility, version control, and distribution without overengineering documented information
AI-assisted summarisation of exercise notes and consistency checks (supporting judgement, not replacing it)
Workshop (case-based)
Build a plan outline and response structure for a Halderstone case; define activation, roles, and communications
Design an exercise that targets specific assumptions; run a short facilitated “tabletop” and capture outcomes
Plans, response, and exercising in the ISO 22301 operating model
Boundaries: planning and exercising vs. BIA and strategy selection
Inputs and outputs: what must be traceable from requirements to plans
Continuity plan architecture and usability
Plan types and hierarchy (organisation-level vs. activity/service-level)
Usability design: triggers, decision steps, roles, and “minimum information to act”
Response organisation and role clarity
Response structure, responsibilities, and escalation paths
Interfaces with incident/crisis arrangements and operational teams (avoiding parallel structures)
Activation, coordination, and communications
Activation criteria, initial actions, and coordination cadence
Communications: stakeholder categories, messages, channels, and approval paths
Recovery actions and hand-offs
Sequencing and hand-offs between business recovery and enabling recovery (e.g., IT, facilities, suppliers)
Managing assumptions and constraints during recovery (what to decide, what to document)
Exercising to validate readiness
Exercise purpose and types (discussion-based through to technical validation, as applicable)
Designing scenarios that test critical assumptions and coordination—not just documentation
Capturing outcomes and driving follow-up
After-action review structure: findings, decisions, and ownership
Linking exercise results to corrective action and improvement routines (without re-teaching improvement mechanics)
Technology as an enabler
Plan accessibility, version control, and distribution without overengineering documented information
AI-assisted summarisation of exercise notes and consistency checks (supporting judgement, not replacing it)
Workshop (case-based)
Build a plan outline and response structure for a Halderstone case; define activation, roles, and communications
Design an exercise that targets specific assumptions; run a short facilitated “tabletop” and capture outcomes
Course ID:
HAM-BCPRE-1
Audience:
Manager
Domain:
Business Continuity
Available in:
English
Duration:
7 h
List price:
CHF 550
Excl. VAT. VAT may apply depending on customer location and status.
What you get
Learning outcomes
Structure continuity plans so they are usable in response, not just complete on paper
Define clear response roles, escalation paths, and coordination interfaces across functions and enabling teams
Specify activation criteria, initial actions, and communications steps that work under time pressure
Translate continuity requirements and strategy decisions into concrete recovery actions and hand-offs
Design exercises that validate key assumptions, coordination, and decision-making—not just plan existence
Capture exercise outcomes in a form that supports prioritised follow-up and continual readiness improvement (without teaching audit technique or generic improvement methods)
Structure continuity plans so they are usable in response, not just complete on paper
Define clear response roles, escalation paths, and coordination interfaces across functions and enabling teams
Specify activation criteria, initial actions, and communications steps that work under time pressure
Translate continuity requirements and strategy decisions into concrete recovery actions and hand-offs
Design exercises that validate key assumptions, coordination, and decision-making—not just plan existence
Capture exercise outcomes in a form that supports prioritised follow-up and continual readiness improvement (without teaching audit technique or generic improvement methods)
Learning materials
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Certificate of completion
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Certificate of completion
Templates & tools
Continuity plan structure blueprint (plan hierarchy + minimum required content per plan type)
Response roles & escalation map (RACI-style responsibility mapping for response)
Activation & first-hour checklist (trigger → decision → initial actions)
Communications matrix (stakeholder groups, channels, message ownership, approvals)
Recovery sequencing sheet (actions, prerequisites, dependencies, hand-offs)
Exercise design brief (objective, scope, scenario, participants, evaluation points)
After-action review log (observations, decisions, actions, owners, due dates)
Optional AI prompt set for summarising exercise notes and checking internal consistency (judgement retained)
Continuity plan structure blueprint (plan hierarchy + minimum required content per plan type)
Response roles & escalation map (RACI-style responsibility mapping for response)
Activation & first-hour checklist (trigger → decision → initial actions)
Communications matrix (stakeholder groups, channels, message ownership, approvals)
Recovery sequencing sheet (actions, prerequisites, dependencies, hand-offs)
Exercise design brief (objective, scope, scenario, participants, evaluation points)
After-action review log (observations, decisions, actions, owners, due dates)
Optional AI prompt set for summarising exercise notes and checking internal consistency (judgement retained)
Prerequisites
This module assumes participants can discuss service/operational dependencies and can interpret time-based continuity requirements as inputs to plans and response arrangements. It does not assume ISO clause knowledge.
Helpful background includes:
Familiarity with core services/processes and their enabling dependencies (people, sites, technology, suppliers)
Comfort coordinating across functions, including making and recording practical decisions during disruption
This module assumes participants can discuss service/operational dependencies and can interpret time-based continuity requirements as inputs to plans and response arrangements. It does not assume ISO clause knowledge.
Helpful background includes:
Familiarity with core services/processes and their enabling dependencies (people, sites, technology, suppliers)
Comfort coordinating across functions, including making and recording practical decisions during disruption
Strongly recommended preparatory modules
ISO 22301 Business Continuity Plans, Response & Exercising
Understand continuity plan structure, response roles and communications, and exercising approaches aligned to continuity requirements
7 h
ISO 22301 Business Continuity Plans, Response & Exercising
Understand continuity plan structure, response roles and communications, and exercising approaches aligned to continuity requirements
7 h
ISO 22301 Business Continuity Plans, Response & Exercising
Understand continuity plan structure, response roles and communications, and exercising approaches aligned to continuity requirements
7 h
ISO 22301 Business Impact Analysis (BIA) & Critical Activities
Understand ISO 22301-aligned business impact analysis, critical activity identification, and time-based recovery requirements
7 h
ISO 22301 Business Impact Analysis (BIA) & Critical Activities
Understand ISO 22301-aligned business impact analysis, critical activity identification, and time-based recovery requirements
7 h
ISO 22301 Business Impact Analysis (BIA) & Critical Activities
Understand ISO 22301-aligned business impact analysis, critical activity identification, and time-based recovery requirements
7 h
Helpful preparatory modules
The modules below prepare for an optimal learning experience – but are not strictly necessary for participants to follow.
Operational Control Foundations: Translating Plans into Controlled, Repeatable Processes
Learn the fundamentals of designing and running controlled operational processes with clear roles, controls, records, and change handling.
7 h
Operational Control Foundations: Translating Plans into Controlled, Repeatable Processes
Learn the fundamentals of designing and running controlled operational processes with clear roles, controls, records, and change handling.
7 h
Operational Control Foundations: Translating Plans into Controlled, Repeatable Processes
Learn the fundamentals of designing and running controlled operational processes with clear roles, controls, records, and change handling.
7 h
Objectives & Performance Foundations: Objective Setting and KPI Design
Learn the fundamentals of objective setting, KPI definition, and KPI governance for management systems
7 h
Objectives & Performance Foundations: Objective Setting and KPI Design
Learn the fundamentals of objective setting, KPI definition, and KPI governance for management systems
7 h
Objectives & Performance Foundations: Objective Setting and KPI Design
Learn the fundamentals of objective setting, KPI definition, and KPI governance for management systems
7 h
People & Communication Foundations: Building Competence, Awareness, and Communication
Learn the fundamentals of competence planning, awareness building, and structured communication in management systems
7 h
People & Communication Foundations: Building Competence, Awareness, and Communication
Learn the fundamentals of competence planning, awareness building, and structured communication in management systems
7 h
People & Communication Foundations: Building Competence, Awareness, and Communication
Learn the fundamentals of competence planning, awareness building, and structured communication in management systems
7 h
Governance Foundations: Role Design, Decision Rights, and Escalation in Management Systems
Learn the fundamentals of role design, decision rights, governance mechanisms, and escalation paths in management systems
7 h
Governance Foundations: Role Design, Decision Rights, and Escalation in Management Systems
Learn the fundamentals of role design, decision rights, governance mechanisms, and escalation paths in management systems
7 h
Governance Foundations: Role Design, Decision Rights, and Escalation in Management Systems
Learn the fundamentals of role design, decision rights, governance mechanisms, and escalation paths in management systems
7 h
Continuous learning
Follow-up modules
Follow-up modules
After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen the participant's competence.
After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen the participant's competence.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.