Assembling the Project Team

The success of your entire disaster planning process hinges upon the selection of the right project team. Failure to involve the right mix of decision-makers, operational personnel, and technical support staff definitely starts you off on the wrong foot. Here's an idea of the types of people you need to get involved in the process:

• Senior Management. The organization's contingency plans must have the full support and backing of senior management personnel. Even if they're not involved in the detailed stages of disaster planning, they must be aware of the big picture and commit the necessary resources to ensure project success. Go out on a limb and ask the CEO, CIO, or another senior executive to chair the project team and assume overall responsibility for the project. After all, if a catastrophe cripples your business, they'll be the ones on the hot seat with the shareholders/owners.

• Operational Personnel. Every organization has key operational areas that perform functions critical to the business. You learn how to identify these areas in the “Business Impact Analysis” section of this chapter. Be sure to include operational personnel from each of these departments in your planning process—they know the nuts and bolts of your business and will be essential members of your team. Aim for a good mix of management and front-line workers to obtain a balanced perspective.

• IT Staff. Your Information Technology Department is one of the most critical players during an emergency. They are responsible for maintaining continuity of operations and spearheading the restoration of technical services. For this reason, your IT Department should be strongly represented on the disaster recovery planning team.

  EXAM TIP

  Know Whom to Include You may see a question or two on the TICSA exam regarding disaster team composition. Be able to recognize the important business areas that should always be represented on the team.

  
  

• Other Key Personnel. You also need to include other personnel based upon your organization's unique requirements. Political concerns may dictate that the boss's key assistant serve in an advisory capacity. If you have a few critical vendors or clients who are tightly integrated with your operations, you may want to include them in your plan. If you're a larger organization, you may want to involve public relations personnel who deal with the media when an emergency occurs. You may also want to include your legal team to assist with the handling of matters that involve the chain of evidence or forensic techniques.