Continuity of Service and Business: The cycle that never sleeps, just like the threats, harms and potential disruption(s)

Threats to business, operations, people and profit never sleep. Risk is not static nor entirely visible, let alone completely measurable. As a result, continuity of business and service remains a 24/7 task that goes on into perpetuity.

That is, business continuity plans and planning are never finished nor perfect and must remain active, prepared and responsive day and night...forever.

Diffused and supporting elements such as crisis management, risk management, customer support, operations and finance create a modern maelstrom of information, data and knowledge which in turn creates challenges in distinguishing the signals from the noise.

In other words, contemporary business continuity is inadequately serviced by 'standards', static practices and scheduled reviews.

Contemporary continuity of business and resilience must evaluate and influence people, processes and culture to support the objective...non-stop service.

Elements may be documented, formal and planned but so much that constitutes business continuity at scale is done quickly, informally and across various disciplines which all must be monitored, chased up and captured to inform the strategy and plan.

Again, rigour, resourcefulness and resilience of the 'system' that services continuity of service requires nurturing, mentoring and capacity building.

Moreover, continuity of business has become an increasingly complex, multi-discipline vocation or task.

That is, sociology, psychology, criminology, science and mathematics have been come essential criteria for professionals and practitioners in the business continuity role. As a result, recovery times, impact analysis and intelligence that forms the upstream driver of business continuity remains polycentric and protean.

In other words, the problem has many heads and keeps changing its appears in public and private.

This makes the assessment of risk evermore complex and provisional. In short, it is like trying to measuring and assess multiple cars that speed by on a highway going in different directions with differing drivers, dangers and potential.

If only risks were linear, totally predictable or know to stakeholder, which confounds, obfuscates and negates many an assessment of threats, harms and dangers.

In sum, continuity of service for small to large entities is a full time vocation, demand and constantly changing environment.

Even before pandemics, wars, extraordinary weather, social unrest and deglobalisation.

That is, signals, change and relationships are constantly formed, fractured, frustrated and changing, which informs consideration and perception or risk, which drives preparedness, investment, resourcefulness and ultimately resilience.

If you miss the signal, tune out from the noise or rest...your risk grows exponentially.

In short, business continuity and service continuity can never rest as the threats, harms, interactions and change never sleeps. Worshiping plans, software and reports are akin to the historical human fallacies of worshiping false idols.

The measure of success and resilience is rarely entirely predicated on the plan...it is the planning, resourceful people, collective efforts, intelligence and comprehension of the mission across the business and disciplines.

Tony Ridley, MSc CSyP MSyI M.ISRM

Security, Risk & Management Sciences