Education SIG: A Realist’s Guide to Business Continuity: Beyond Templates and Tech

Emergency managers are frequently tasked with business continuity planning without formal training, dedicated resources, or clear authority. As a result, many organizations default to templates and technology solutions, assuming these tools will simplify the work. Too often, this approach produces plans that check a box but fail to reflect how operations actually function under stress. This session offers a practical, experience-driven perspective on business continuity drawn from work in public safety, healthcare, higher education, and the technology sector. Rather than focusing on tools or maturity models, this session emphasizes the human elements that determine whether continuity efforts succeed or fail: relationships, trust, and a deep understanding of how work gets done.