BCM Exercises Module

Overview

The BCM Exercises module enables planning, execution, and evaluation of business continuity exercises to test plans and improve organizational readiness.

Key Features

Exercise planning and scheduling
Multiple exercise types
Scenario development
Participant management
Exercise execution tracking
Results documentation
Lessons learned capture
Improvement action tracking

Creating an Exercise

To create a BCM exercise:

Navigate to Business Continuity - Exercises
Click Add Exercise
Fill in exercise details:
- Exercise Name - Title of the exercise
- Type - Type of exercise
- Date - Scheduled date
- Scope - What will be tested
- Objectives - What you want to achieve
- Plans Tested - BCP/DRP being tested
Define scenario
Click Submit

Exercise Types

Types of BCM exercises:

Tabletop Exercise - Discussion-based walkthrough
Walkthrough - Step-by-step plan review
Simulation - Simulated scenario response
Functional Exercise - Partial activation of plans
Full-Scale Exercise - Complete plan activation

Exercise Planning

Plan exercises effectively:

Define objectives and scope
Develop realistic scenario
Identify participants
Prepare exercise materials
Brief participants
Set success criteria

Scenario Development

Create realistic scenarios:

Based on identified risks
Relevant to the organization
Challenging but achievable
Include injects and surprises
Test specific plan elements

Exercise Execution

Conduct the exercise:

Brief all participants
Present the scenario
Observe and document responses
Use injects to test adaptability
Track timeline and decisions
Debrief immediately after

Results and Lessons Learned

Document exercise outcomes:

What worked well
What needs improvement
Plan gaps identified
Training needs
Improvement actions

Best Practices

Exercise plans annually at minimum
Vary exercise types and scenarios
Include senior management
Document all findings
Track improvement actions
Build exercise complexity over time