KNOWLEDGE · BUSINESS CONTINUITY

A backup exists.Can it be ready in time?

Business continuity planning (BCP) becomes useful when your team can connect a disrupted function to its recovery time, dependencies, decisions and evidence.

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THE CONTINUITY GAP

Backup Exists ≠ Backup Is Ready in Time

A spare machine, alternate supplier or data backup is only one part of recovery. Review the time needed to make that option usable, including people, access, setup, records and verification. Compare that time with the interruption the critical function can tolerate.

Identify the impact

Choose a critical function. Describe what stops, what is affected and how the impact changes as the interruption continues.

Check the dependencies

Review PEOPLE / FACILITY / EQUIPMENT / IT-DATA / SUPPLIER / RECORDS / COMMUNICATION. Identify which dependencies must be ready before the function can resume.

Test the decision

Define who decides to activate a response, what evidence supports recovery and what must be verified before returning to normal.

Follow the recovery work.

PREPARE → ASSESS → ACTIVATE → STABILIZE → RECOVER → RESTORE → IMPROVE

The Navigator organizes continuity work from preparation and impact assessment through activation, stabilization, recovery, restoration and improvement. Each handoff needs a responsible owner and a clear basis for the next decision.

PROTECT

Review measures that protect critical functions and their dependencies.

CONTINUE

Examine how essential work can continue while normal capability is unavailable.

RECOVER

Track recovery actions and collect evidence that the intended capability has been restored.

RETURN

Verify the return to normal and capture lessons for improvement.

A fictional timing example

A function can tolerate a two-day interruption, while its alternate arrangement is expected to become usable after three days. That leaves a one-day continuity gap to address. Listing the alternate arrangement as “available” would hide the timing problem.

This simplified example illustrates a review question. Actual recovery decisions must account for the scenario, dependencies, verification and authorized decision-makers.

Three questions for your next review

Is the backup available on paper, or demonstrated to be usable within the required time?
Have you included the dependencies needed to make it work?
Can you show the evidence and authority supporting recovery and return to normal?

NEXT · DIAGNOSTIC

Find your initial review priorities.

Use a short self-assessment to identify unresolved timing, dependency and decision questions.

Run the free BCP diagnostic →

Read the complete field guide: Business Continuity Plan: A Practical Field Guide →