What the document contains.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
What the business depends on What could fail What to do for each Who does it What they need access to Who to contact
KEEP IT SHORT
A few pages. Long plans are not read in a crisis.
WHAT TO COVER SPECIFICALLY
Website down Email down Account locked out Compromise Premises unavailable Key person unavailable
FOR EACH
What to do first Who to contact How to tell customers
THE CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION PART
Draft the message in advance.
Writing it during a crisis produces a worse message, later.
WHERE TO KEEP IT
Reachable when systems are down.
Printed, and stored somewhere independent.
WHO SHOULD HAVE IT
Anyone who might need to act.
WHAT TO REVIEW
Annually, and after any incident.
WHAT MAKES A PLAN USELESS
Being out of date, or nobody knowing it exists.