Business continuity planning for Mars

I have addressed business continuity practices in other posts as related to off-world development but believe that the subject requires further exploration. When discussing the best practice of off-world development it is basically a logical dissection of equipment, designs, processes and procedures. 

Corporate BCP planning considerations today include much more than just IT recovery. BCP today consists of a mix of technology, facilities, human resources and external threats and has become less statistical and more holistic in design. This is especially true when applied to an off-world settlement.

The following two quotes are from Andy Hagg - Editorial Director - CPM (2002)

1 - "But now that business continuity has evolved into a strategic business concern incorporating so much more than just IT issues, newcomers to the field, especially if they hail from the IT department, seem to be struggling with a practice that has become more art than science"

2 - "Today’s business continuity managers must give up their hopes of finding the Holy Grail of BCP. They must resign themselves to the fact that they will have to do a lot of independent analysis when developing their programs. They must be critical and analytical thinkers, and must make decisions based on their own company’s unique circumstances."

As noted in the second quote, there is no “Holy Grail” of BCP nor is there one for developing the safety features to be incorporated in space travel or other planet development. The complexities of  the many aspects of rocketry, habitation, environmental control and the human system itself dictate the need for individual BCP considerations.

There is, however, an overpowering requirement to standardize as many of these systems as possible across the field of both state and corporate development.  

Unlike standard business insurance, disaster recovery / prevention planning is a pro-active approach to minimizing losses with an integral part of the process being disaster prevention. A good plan does not wait for something to happen before being of use to the owner. 

I use the word plan when referring to BCP because that is the usual application of the process, developing a preventative and recovery plan ahead of time. In the off-world environment both are still required but more emphasis towards prevention is required in all design elements of the off-world activities from equipment to safety procedures.

The basics of developing a successful recovery / prevention plan are to understand the CONCEPT of, and the MINDSET, of what makes a plan work.

Well thought out BCP process development criteria will:

1 - Ensure that the process of planning identifies both risk and impact of a disaster.

2 - Identify weaknesses within daily operational procedures and other developments.

3 - Ensures the identified BCP risks and prevention seamlessly integrate into daily operations 

4 – Ensures the procedures and processes can easily be automatically updated and that it is transparent to daily operations.

5 - Addresses vulnerabilities from within and without and explores all possible hazards and situations before acceptable risk is determined. 

6 – Creates a structure that is not developed around data capture forms and step by step planning. (A good plan is developed around plan flexibility and staff buy-in to the process.)

Regardless of what it is called or how many "best practices" steps it is broken into, Disaster recovery planning / Business continuity planning is an essential part of the business environment today. 

Consider your options carefully as you will have to live with them for a long time. The following shows how important BCP is to Earth based companies.

1. 43 percent of companies experiencing disasters never re-open, and 29 percent close within two years. (McGladrey) 

2. It is estimated that 1 out of 500 data centers will have a severe disaster each year. (McGladrey )

3. 40 percent of respondents to a computer security survey had detected and verified incidents of computer crime during the previous year. (NCSA Annual Worry Report) 

4. Computer crimes cost firms who detect and verify incidents of computer crime between $145 million and $730 million each year. (NCSA Annual Worry Report) 

5. A company that experiences a computer outage lasting more than 10 days will never fully recover financially. 50 percent will be out of business within five years. (Toigo)

Now consider the impact to health and safety during transit and settlement off-world should something of any nature do wrong.

BCP is a corporate wide undertaking and everyone involved should have input to all discussions and especially to the identifications of risk. In an agency such as NASA or a company like SpaceX, the best practice for risk identification is to develop a BCP mindset in all of its members. 

An example of the 'everyone is involved" concept is at the Toyota production plants. All shop floor workers are empowered to stop the line if there is a problem. It is not a case of get someones permission to stop the line if there is an issue, everyone is empowered to do so.

When this is applied to risk identification and mitigation, a mechanism should be in place that empowers each person from janitor to CEO to have input to all aspects of design and operation. No one is as smart as all of  us. It is not uncommon for someone to be so close to the process that they don't step back to see the whole process. (Can't see the forest for the trees).

 

Most projects you may have been involved in required what is referred to as buy-in. You develop a solution to a problem or the procedures for implementing a new service or machinery upgrade then take the solution to management, then to the people responsible for doing what you planned. When everyone affected agrees it will work or accepts the changes, you have buy-in; a typical project flow.

 

Disaster recovery planning is not limited to a single department, process or application. It must be inclusive of all to be of any value. It is impossible to predict where a fire will occur, or what part of the building will be affected by an earthquake, so the entire staff must be part of the recovery planning process. 

In the case of recovery planning, buy-in should be the first step and having been a project manager I understand exactly what you must be thinking. "That would be unmanageable". "There would be too much input and conflict of ideas". "This will take forever to complete." 

And you would be correct on all accounts except for this: Disaster recovery planning works best when those affected are educated in the concept of recovery planning and are part of the process. From the outset of the project the staff begins developing the necessary concepts and mindset of continuance so essential to plan development and implementation. Compartmentalization defeats risk identification. 

Recovery planning is not just another project to be completed. When done properly, it is a change in business practices that affects everyone. Many routine daily operations suddenly have one or two more steps to completion. (Most will be transparent to daily operations) 

By informing all staff that the company will be developing recovery plans, outlining the benefits of such plans, identifying risks and solutions, and providing an overview of what is involved and their part in it, you will begin to generate buy-in. No one individual can be discarded as having no valuable input to the development process and all staff will eventually be required to supply some data, report lists or process documentation. 

The basics of developing successful recovery plans are to understand the concept of, and the mindset of what makes a plan work. 

The best way to develop that mindset in your staff is to be inclusive from the beginning. The day your plans risks are identified and solutions planned, they are implemental with everyone knowing what part they are to play. A plan and risk identification is of little use if you need it during the time you are still trying to educate the staff about what was developed. 

Core teams in any project usually include an executive, a project leader, managers or supervisors from the affected departments (s) and perhaps outside contractors (software development etc.) Risk identification and solution development should include all staff teams as well. They are, after all, the ones who perform the daily business functions and are most knowledgeable in the processes to be identified.  

Briefly:

The weakest link in any recovery plan or risk evaluation is the least informed individual in the company and the standard project team organization should be expanded to include the staff. 

Consider this: 

When I was informed I would be part of the recovery planning team, the only people receiving any type of training in recovery were a few head office executives and managers. The rest of the assigned project managers stumbled our way through until we had gained enough understanding of the recovery concepts to be useful. 

When I worked in underwater construction, every diver was informed of the task, how it was going to be accomplished, what our individual responsibilities were and what hazards we would encounter beyond the normal situation of being underwater. 

As an experienced project manager or company leader, which type of employee would be most useful to you; informed, or un-informed?

Shown below are a summary of many aspects of off-world development and their considerations and risks. For additional reading I would recommend browsing through the other topics in this blog. (Mars is being used as the example)

Resource Scarcity: Mars is a harsh environment with limited resources. Any disruption in the supply chain or operations could have significant consequences. Business continuity planning ensures that critical resources such as food, water, and oxygen remain available even in the face of challenges.

Isolation: Martian settlements will be isolated from Earth, making them vulnerable to various risks such as equipment failures, natural disasters, or medical emergencies. Business continuity planning helps in preparing for and mitigating these risks, ensuring the survival and well-being of the settlers.

Long-Term Sustainability: Martian habitats are intended for long-term human occupation. Business continuity planning involves developing strategies to sustain operations over extended periods, taking into account factors like equipment maintenance, resource replenishment, and adapting to the evolving needs of the settlement.

Mission Critical Functions: Certain functions within the Martian settlement, such as life support systems, communication infrastructure, and power generation, are mission-critical. Business continuity planning identifies these functions and establishes protocols to maintain their operation under various scenarios.

Risk Management: Mars presents unique risks such as dust storms, extreme temperatures, and radiation exposure. Business continuity planning assesses these risks and implements measures to minimize their impact on settlement operations.

Resilience: Martian settlers must be resilient in the face of adversity. Business continuity planning fosters a culture of preparedness and adaptability, equipping settlers with the tools and knowledge to respond effectively to unexpected events.

In summary, business continuity planning is essential for the development of Martian settlement habitats as it ensures the resilience, sustainability, and survivability of the settlement in the face of challenges inherent to the Martian environment.

AI