So far in our Business Continuity series, we have discussed the many benefits of having a plan. We’ve also outlined some of the key stakeholders that serve as the building blocks for a successful continuity program. Once a program is underway, there are several planning aspects to consider. In this article, we will outline some of them, so that your organization can have a successful planning phase.

So far in our Business Continuity series, we’ve outlined why continuity plans are important, the various stakeholders that should be consulted and additional factors like geographically distributed operations that should be considered. In this article, we will discuss the importance of defining the scope of your organization’s continuity plan and the steps we recommend when proposing the scope to management.

Building blocks: stakeholders and drivers was an overview of the various stakeholders that an organization should consider when developing a business continuity plan. The article also outlined some of the common drivers for continuity plans.This article will discuss another factor that influences business continuity plans: geography.

Stakeholders and the extent of their need for a business continuity plan depends on their ownership type and industry. In all scenarios, It is important to understand stakeholders that have an interest in the survivability of the business. Once that is understood, the key business drivers can be developed with inputs from the right stakeholders.

Every organization must give some thought into creating a business continuity plan, but plans should be realistic and flexible — not perfect.  To create an effective continuity plan, businesses must consider organizational strategy, context, stakeholders, technology, geographical location, appetite for developing a plan, benefits, and the challenges they might face.