Ronald Reagan was allegedly famous for demanding that any document requiring his attention should be no longer than a single sheet of paper, and for refusing to read anything which didn’t comply with this edict. Now, whatever you thought of dear old Ronnie, he did have a point.

Experience tells us that if a business continuity plan is too large, too complex or too difficult to find the bits we actually need, then quite simply it won’t be used. And what’s the point of spending time and effort writing a plan that isn’t going to be used when it’s needed?

A good business continuity plan isn’t measured by weight or thickness. A good business continuity plan is measured by its usefulness and usability.

So keep it simple. Keep it short and to the point. Cut out the superfluous stuff and focus on what’s really important.

And actually, you can get quite a lot of information on a single sheet of paper – particularly if you cheat a bit and use both sides!