Practical Business Continuity Exercises: How to Test Your Organization’s Resilience

“Based on more than 30 years of business continuity experience, Charlie Maclean-Bristol’snew book provides a detailed guide to preparing for, delivering and gaining the greatest benefit from business continuity exercises. From the introduction and definition of what an exercise is, through each phase of the exercise cycle, to the glossary and appendix covering cybersecurity exercises, every page delivers valuable content. For those newly assigned exercise responsibilities, this book is an outstanding step-by-step guide. For seasoned professionals who have played a role in exercise programmes, the book is an excellent vehicle for reviewing, updating and refreshing exercises. For any business continuity practitioner, it is sure to become a well-used addition to their reference library.” ― Betty Kildow, independent business continuity management consultant

“Charlie Maclean-Bristol’sPractical Business Continuity Exercisesis one of the most comprehensive guides on exercise design and delivery that I have encountered. The level of detail is outstanding, offering practitioners practical tools, proven techniques and valuable lessons that can be immediately applied to improve organizational resilience. An essential addition to any resilience professional’s library.” ― Robert Burton, CEO & Co Founder, PreparedEx

“This book is a practical guide that challenges us to do better. Charlie Maclean-Bristoloffers valuable insights for business continuity professionals, helping to address a common gap: using exercises to validate plans and prepare teams for significant business disruptions.” ― Christine Miller, Principal Consultant, B4 Crisis Pty Ltd

“Charlie Maclean-Bristolcuts through jargon, avoids unnecessary complexity and focuses on what actually matters when organizations face disruption, uncertainty and real-world pressure. It’s practical, credible and grounded in experience rather than theory alone. What I particularly value is that the book never loses sight of the human side of resilience. Behind every framework, process and plan are people trying to make good decisions in difficult circumstances – and that reality comes through clearly throughout. If you work in business continuity, crisis management or organizational resilience, this is a book worth having within arm’s reach rather than left gathering dust on a shelf.” ― James McAlister, Director, Crisis Prepared

“This book is one of the most complete guides to exercising available today, full of practical examples and clear learning points. I would recommend it to any organization looking to improve.” ― Ben White, Vice President, Crisis Management Testing, Global Testing Centre of Excellence, State Street

“For anyone wanting a step-by-step approach to business continuity, this book represents a unique option. It highlights the important processes and policies that are required to make business continuity work. The challenges and pitfalls in developing such strategies are carefully laid out in the book and are based on Charlie Maclean-Bristol’sextensive career dealing with the practical challenges that organizations face across both the private and public sectors. For anyone new to the business continuity field, this is an excellent introduction to building a strategy from the ground upwards.” ― Professor Denis Fischbacher-Smith, Research Chair in Risk and Resilience, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow

“Few people have done more to advance the practice of business continuity exercising than Charlie Maclean-Bristol. He provides a clear, no-nonsense guide to designing, delivering and learning from exercises that strengthen organizational resilience. He shares a proven framework and hard-won insights that practitioners can immediately apply. Readers will gain the confidence and expertise needed to deliver exercises that drive meaningful learning, strengthen organizational capability and improve resilience. Whether you are new to exercise design or an experienced practitioner looking to refine your approach, this book is an invaluable resource for delivering tangible resilience improvements and creating more prepared, capable and resilient organizations.” ― Chris Butler, Resilience Director, Databarracks

“An untested plan remains little more than a document, but a poorly tested plan can pose real risks. Charlie Maclean-Bristolhas once again shared his expertise by compiling all the essential tools and guidance needed to ensure business continuity exercises are not only thorough but genuinely effective. This resource deserves a place in every business continuity manager’s arsenal.” ― Michael Crooymans, Continuity Manager, Rabobank and Vice Chair Netherlands Chapter, The Business Continuity Institute

Charlie Maclean-Bristol is a business continuity and emergency planning expert with decades of experience delivering business continuity exercises. He is a member of the British Standards Institute’s CAR/1 Committee and contributed to development of ISO 22361. He is a former board member of the Business Continuity Institute and a contributor to the BCI’s Good Practice Guidelines. He is the Founder and Director of PlanB Consulting and based in Glasgow, UK.