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How To Identify Critical Functions PDFTXT

The document discusses how to identify critical functions for an organization. It defines a critical function as a service that must continue with little interruption after a disruption. It provides tips for determining critical functions such as considering direct effects on life, injury, property or instruction/research. Critical functions are categorized from most critical to deferrable based on their allowable downtime.

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Diego Matilla
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36 views

How To Identify Critical Functions PDFTXT

The document discusses how to identify critical functions for an organization. It defines a critical function as a service that must continue with little interruption after a disruption. It provides tips for determining critical functions such as considering direct effects on life, injury, property or instruction/research. Critical functions are categorized from most critical to deferrable based on their allowable downtime.

Uploaded by

Diego Matilla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to Identify Critical Functions

What is a Critical Function?

A critical function is a service or a collection of services normally performed by a unit that must continue at a
sufficient level without interruption or restart within given timeframes (within the first 30 days) after a
disruption to the service.

If a given critical function isn’t available at a sufficient level within the resumption timeframe, the campus
community risks direct and immediate adverse effect(s) in terms of: loss of life, personal injury, loss of property,
and/or the University’s ability to maintain direction, control of, or accountability for instruction, research or
service essential to its mission.

A function is critical if it:


• Preserves life, prevents injury, or protects property
• Provides indispensable support for provision of other critical functions
• Is required by law or regulatory authority
• It must be continued under all circumstances/Cannot suffer a significant interruption
• Directs or controls instruction or research—be sparing about tagging a function as directing or
controlling these services.
• It provides vital support to another department, unit, or organization (with critical functions)

Four Principles of Critical Functions


• All university functions are necessary: some are critical.
• A critical function is a unit activity or service, not a unit name, not an object.
• A critical function is comprised of several—perhaps many—processes and almost never is comprised of
a single process.
• A critical function is a high-value activity or an activity set that is normally performed by your unit &
must be available at a sufficient level within 30 days or less if a negative event affects the campus.

Tips for Determining Critical Functions/Services

Determining critical functions can be a challenge. Over inclusion can result in a burdensome, costly plan, while
under inclusion may render a plan ineffective.

When determining a unit’s critical functions:


• Identify them in terms of function and services, not processes.* Examples of functions:
o Provide undergraduate instruction
o Pay employees
o Provide parking for vehicles
o Convey outgoing mail
o Ensure restroom access
o Provide meals for residents of university housing

* Processes are the steps needed to accomplish a function. For example, "food buying", "food
storage", "cooking", "serving", and "clean-up" are processes, but the function they accomplish is
"providing meals for residents of university housing.”
• Consider a function as critical if it has a direct and immediate effect on the campus community in
terms of loss of life, personal injury, loss of property.

• Consider a function as critical if it has a direct and immediate effect on the University’s ability to
maintain direction and control of instruction, research, and/or mission-critical services at sufficient
levels if not continued or restarted in the shortest amount of time possible and within no more than
30 days.

• As a rule of thumb, consider a function “critical” if it is absolutely essential for teaching or research.
More specifically, a critical function is likely one that must be re-started during the first 30 days post-
disaster in order to enable instruction or research to re-start or continue.

• Consider indirect relationships. Many functions have only an indirect relationship to instruction or
research. Nevertheless, these functions may be critical if their cessation would have a significant
negative impact on the campus’s ability to carry out instruction or research.

• Set the bar high when determining what is critical. For example, visualize department team members
performing a function while working in a large tent with a few computers on extension cords, and
question whether they really need to be doing this function.

Determining recovery priorities for the University

Categorize each critical function along a continuum from: Critical 1-Highly Critical to Deferrable.

Levels of Criticality following disaster:

• Critical 1: must be continued at normal or increased service load. Cannot pause. Necessary to life,
health, security. (Possible examples: police services, provide food/meals to University residents, provide
student medical care, maintain campus emergency web presence, conduct hazardous waste materials
response, etc.)
• Critical 2: must be continued if at all possible, perhaps in reduced mode. Pausing completely will have
grave consequences. (Possible examples: provide instruction, maintain campus phone service,
administer campus email system, at-risk research, conduct purchasing of campus goods)
• Critical 3: may pause if forced to do so, but must resume in 30 days or sooner. (Possible examples:
research, manage payroll, administer course scheduling/room assignments, student advising, etc.)
• Deferrable: may pause; resume when conditions permit. (Possible examples: routine building
maintenance, training, marketing, delivery of student programming)

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