Capturing Crisis Management learnings – evaluating response

Post-crisis evaluation is a review of a crisis response. It is not about evaluating front-line tactical/emergency response or clean-ups. It is about how crisis teams responded. The following items are some of the issues that need to be addressed in a post-crisis evaluation review:

1. A narrative of the actual event. What caused the event?
2. How was the response managed by the crisis management team?
3. How did the crisis response relate to governance of the business
4. Was the reputation and brand of the business affected?
5. What was the decision making process based on?
6. Were human and technical resources adequate?
7. Is the organisation still at threat from the problem?
8. What were the unintended consequences from the original incident?
9. Were there any barriers to communication (internally or externally)?
10. Were all stakeholders advised effectively?
11. Was there sufficient co-operation with government?
12. Were crisis plans, manuals and procedures useful?
13. Was human resources response effective?
14. Were there barriers to crisis response from senior management?
15. Were legal and commercial issues dealt with efficiently?
16. Was the spokesperson’s role effective?
17. Were message strategies effective
18. Was media managed effectively?
19. How was business continuity and recovery managed?
20. What is in place to prevent this crisis from happening again?

A post-evaluation needs to be carried out by either outside consultants or a senior management team and preferably not by the crisis management team. The process should be dedicated to continually improving crisis management response capability, decision making, plans and protocols and particularly leadership skills. It should also ensure the crisis management team has understood its roles and responsibilities.