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 | Turning Standards into Features
January 31, 2011 by Brian Zawada |
As Published in the January/February 2011 Issue of Continuity Insights Magazine
Standards implementation may seem like a real drag, but by repositioning standards as features, you can get organizational buy-in for your plans.
A few weeks ago, I walked into my favorite electronics store with the objective of finding a new television. I had a general idea of what I wanted (I’d spent an hour or so researching televisions), as well as a general budget in mind. Right away, I found four flat-screen televisions that seemed to align with my needs, all of which met my budget. Then I saw a fifth option, but it was 20 percent more than what I wanted to spend. So, I called my wife to “sell” her on it. My pitch went something like this... |
 | The Basics of ISO 31000 – Risk Management
January 19, 2011 by Glen Bricker |
After approval by the ISO member bodies, the ISO Technical Management Board Working Group on risk management released ISO 31000:2009, Risk Management – Principles and Guidelines in November of 2009. The authors designed the standard to be applicable for any organization and any risk type, but, unlike the familiar ISO quality standards, ISO 31000 is not certifiable.
For those familiar with the AS/NZS 4360:2004 standard on risk management, this ISO standard should be easily recognizable. With the exception of wording changes, ISO 31000 is essentially the same standard. For those unfamiliar with the AS/NZS standard, or those unfamiliar with a formal, structured risk management process, the remainder of this article will discuss the structure and key elements of ISO 31000. |
 | The Death of All Hazards Planning?
December 20, 2010 by Christopher Burton |
The time has come for business continuity to evolve beyond the idea of “all hazards” planning and deal directly with the core causes of business interruptions. This article details an approach that takes everything you loved about all hazards planning and enhances it with detailed procedures focused on the resources that your organization cares about most. |
 | Standards: It’s Time to Get Off the Sidelines
November 11, 2010 by Susan Giffin |
When speaking about business continuity standards, we frequently hear the following feedback:
“I am waiting for the ‘dust to settle’ on the development of the standards and for one to be chosen by the industry as the front-runner.”
“We are not interested in complying and being audited against another regulation.”
Unfortunately, it’s these types of opinions that are causing many organizations to miss the value that standards can provide. |
 | BP: Ushering in a Risk Conscious World
September 30, 2010 by Ross Ladley | In the time following the Macondo (BP) well blowout, the world watched a true disaster unfold. As the days turned into weeks, then weeks into months, and even after BP finally stopped the flow of oil into the gulf, disgust remains on the minds of many because of one simple fact: the disaster appears – by most accounts – to have been totally preventable. |
 | The Intersection of Business Continuity and Data Breach Preparedness
August 13, 2010 by Brian Zawada |
The assertion that data breach prevention and preparedness is strictly an information technology security issue could not be further from the truth. Proper planning for, and response to, a data breach event requires a multi-faceted approach, with participation from diverse elements of the organization. Although an IT Security department may be an obvious choice to lead the development of data breach incident planning, business continuity professionals possess an array of preparedness approaches, processes, skills, information and relationships that could contribute to the development of appropriate levels of preparedness to respond to this type of crisis. Furthermore, as business continuity professionals continue to seek new areas in which they can add value, data breach is an excellent opportunity.
This article presents the business case as to why business continuity professionals need to learn about this unique threat and how they can add value to the planning effort. |
 | A Word from YOUR Business Continuity Sponsor...
July 28, 2010 by Brian Zawada |
Senior-level sponsors of business continuity programs have spoken.
And here's what they wish you'd do...
As Published in the July/August 2010 Issue of Continuity Insights Magazine |
 | Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) – How it Applies To Business Continuity
June 30, 2010 by Jacque Rupert | The business continuity industry has heard a lot about Plan, Do, Check Act (PDCA) recently. Nearly every emerging standard is following this approach, from BS 25999 and NFPA 1600 (2010 edition) to the new American business continuity standard being created by ASIS. However, there seems to be a lot of confusion about what PDCA is – and what it means for business continuity. This article breaks down the components of a PDCA approach to business continuity, with a focus on which activities will provide your organization’s program the most value. |
 | Twitter: Business Continuity in 140 Characters or Less
May 26, 2010 by Christopher Burton |
What do CNN, Dalai Lama, FEMA, and Avalution all have in common? All embrace social media in the form of Twitter to interact with users and share breaking news. Displaying topics ranging from H1N1 and Haiti to the best local cup of coffee, Twitter has created a new baseline for effective and efficient communication. With the ease of use and scalability that social media provides, organizations are looking to understand how social media not only fits into their marketing and branding efforts, but also their business continuity capability. |
 | Great Ideas: The Top Five Questions to Ask Your Critical Suppliers
April 19, 2010 by Brian Zawada |
As Published in the March/April 2010 Issue of Continuity Insights Magazine
It seems as though a growing number of organizations are finally getting around to assessing their critical suppliers’ business continuity capabilities.
The most common approach used to perform this activity is a survey. Unfortunately, surveys often go unanswered, especially long ones. And in many cases, survey questions are written in such a way as to be open to interpretation.
Considering ever-present time and resource constraints, it is essential that surveys – or even interviews – be streamlined. And here’s how to do just that.
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 | PS-Prep – Myth or Fact
March 16, 2010 by Brian Zawada |
Having attended a number of conferences recently – many of which were focused on topics other than business continuity and disaster recovery – I’ve found that the amount of discussion regarding PS-PREP has increased substantially over the past 2+ years. In addition, as more and more professionals and organizational disciplines are being made aware of PS-PREP-related developments, concern and skepticism increases. And, unfortunately, because of the unknowns that remain – as well as the raw emotion on display by those adamantly opposed to this effort – few people walk away from presentations understanding what this effort is all about. The purpose of this article is to not only describe what PS-PREP is today and where we think it’s headed, but most importantly, to dispel (or possibly confirm) some of the rumors out there that may be getting in the way of organizations carefully evaluating the possible benefit that may result. |
 | Preparedness: Standard of Care Expectations May Be On The Rise
February 23, 2010 by Courtney Bowers |
There has been significant discussion regarding the ‘standard of care’ implications associated with a lawsuit against Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital (and their corporate parent, Universal Health Services of Pennsylvania), in which the family of Althea LaCoste, 73, “alleged that the hospital was negligent for having inadequate emergency power systems, evacuation plans and floodwater protection.”1 These allegations stemmed from the hospital’s generators failing during Hurricane Katrina, which ultimately led to the death of LaCoste (who had been admitted for congestive heart failure and was on a respirator).
So, as many have asked, why is the hospital being held accountable in what seems to be a catastrophic natural disaster in which they did not have control? |
 | Service Spotlight: Benchmarking to Support Informed Decision-Making
February 10, 2010 by The Avalution Team |
A number of organizations have halted or significantly curtailed their investments in preparedness measures over the past two years, which includes staffing and solutions investments. As the economy recovers and organizations rediscover their obligations specific to business continuity, how can those personnel with responsibility for business continuity build a business case for investment or reinvestment – time and funding? |
 | Trend Analysis: Juggling Information Security, Business Continuity and Overall Preparedness
February 09, 2010 by Christopher Burton |
Today’s business vocabulary is filled with buzzwords such as “information security”, “business resiliency”, “business continuity” and “disaster recovery”. Most professionals would agree that these concepts are all critical to the long-term success of the modern organization, but who should assume the responsibility of managing it all – or should a single role manage it all? One current trend amongst organizations of all sizes and industries is to combine information security and business continuity in an effort to safeguard against any type of business interruption. This perspective will provide you with insight into business continuity management and the current trends associated with combining business continuity with other disciplines, including information security. |
 | NFPA 1600 2010 Edition: What You Need to Know
January 28, 2010 by Jacque Rupert |
NFPA 1600 is a “Disaster / Emergency Management and Business Continuity” standard published by the National Fire Protection Association that was originally released in 1995. In January 2010, NFPA announced the release of its triennial edition of the NFPA 1600 standard. The 2010 edition has changed significantly – organizationally and in its content.
This article summarizes the major improvements in the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600, in order to assist organizations in determining how the changes will help them achieve a more comprehensive, better-performing business continuity program. |
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