The Do’s and Don’ts of Exercising and Testing Your Plans

Exercising and testing your business continuity and disaster recovery plans is critical to ensuring they work when it matters most. This session walks through the do’s and don’ts of plan exercises, from discussion-based tabletop scenarios to more advanced functional and full-scale tests. You’ll learn how to design exercises that align with real-world risks, uncover gaps in processes and communication, and build organizational confidence over time. The goal is not to “pass” a test, but to continuously improve readiness, strengthen coordination across teams, and increase overall resilience before a disruption occurs.