A dashboard for measuring capability when designing, implementing and validating business continuity and disaster recovery projects

This paper proposes an approach for designing a business continuity management system (BCMS) dashboard constructed using resiliency capability levels. The dashboard ensures the ability to track and baseline the present capability level and focus on the activities that would help leapfrog into the higher capability levels; it also provides guidance for governance. The model is based on the building blocks of a comprehensive BCMS and SMART maturity levels (ie specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound). In terms of principles of maturity, the dashboard draws its inspiration from the Software Engineering Institute's capability maturity model. However, the commonalities end there, as the components of a BCMS are different from those of software development. This customer-centric paper addresses the need of professionals who are entrusted with developing, implementing and validating business continuity and disaster recovery plans. The paper does not address the technologies used for backing up and recovering systems, platforms, databases and applications or the contents of a business impact analysis survey, risk assessment, vital records plan, emergency response procedures, disaster recovery plans etc.