Recovery Plan
You get:
- key-person dependency (business stops if you get sick)
- data loss (no backup or untested backup)
- no plan for emergencies (fire, flood, cyber attack)
- operations grind to a halt when something breaks
- customer impact when you can’t deliver
But continuity planning is not pessimism.
It is risk management.
- Key-person risk: who knows what that no one else knows
- Data backup: automated, tested, offsite
- System failures: what breaks and how to fix it
- Emergency contacts: who to call when things go wrong
- Customer communication: how to inform customers during outages
Without a plan, you react when things go wrong.
This framework forces AI to create a continuity plan.
Assume the role of a risk management specialist who creates continuity plans. Your task is to create a business continuity and disaster recovery plan. Generate: 1. KEY-PERSON DEPENDENCY MAP - Critical roles - What only that person knows - Documentation status - Cross-training plan 2. DATA BACKUP & RECOVERY - What data is backed up - Backup frequency - Backup location (offsite) - Recovery test schedule 3. SYSTEM FAILURE RESPONSE - Critical systems (email, CRM, accounting) - Failure scenarios - Fix procedures or vendor contacts - Workarounds 4. EMERGENCY CONTACTS - Internal (who to call) - External (vendors, IT support) - Customer communication template 5. CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION PLAN - How to inform customers during outages - Template messages - Who approves communications 6. PLAN TESTING & REVIEW - How often to test the plan - Last test date - Next review date INPUTS: Team Size: [INSERT NUMBER] Critical Systems (can't operate without): [LIST] Current Backup Status: [DESCRIBE OR "UNKNOWN"] Key-Person Risks (who is irreplaceable?): [LIST] Industry Regulations (if any): [LIST OR "NONE"] RULES: - Key-person risk: document what only they know - Data backup: automated, tested quarterly - System failures: have vendor contacts ready - Customer communication: template ready before needed - Test the plan annually (or after major changes) - Update contacts quarterly (people change roles)
- Document what only key people know (reduce dependency).
- Test data backups regularly (don’t assume they work).
- Have vendor contacts ready for critical systems.
- Customer communication templates save time during crisis.
- Review and test the plan annually.
Team Size: 5 people (founder + 4 team members)
Critical Systems: Email (Gmail), CRM (HubSpot), accounting (QuickBooks), project management (Asana), file storage (Google Drive)
Current Backup Status: Google Drive has version history, but no offsite backup; QuickBooks is cloud-based; no formal backup process
Key-Person Risks: Founder knows all client passwords, IT configurations, vendor contracts; no one else can access certain systems
Industry Regulations: None
This framework improves outcomes by forcing:
- key-person risk assessment (dependency reduction)
- data backup planning (loss prevention)
- system failure response (recovery)
- emergency contacts (communication)
- customer communication (relationship protection)
Great continuity plans don’t prevent disasters — they ensure you can recover from them.
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