CP

Preparing alternative courses of action for adverse events.

Contingency planning is the practice of preparing alternative courses of action so an organization can respond effectively to adverse events that disrupt normal operations. It is an umbrella discipline that encompasses related efforts such as incident response, disaster recovery, and continuity of operations. The process typically begins with a business impact analysis to prioritize functions and set recovery objectives. Plans must be documented, communicated, and exercised, because an untested plan often fails under the stress of a real event.