Logging: Essential for Crisis Management

Introduction

A crisis meeting moves at a fast pace. The crisis team discusses the current situation, its impact, bottlenecks, and possible scenarios, makes decisions, and, of course, determines what actions need to be taken. Under intense pressure, the crisis team runs the risk of descending into chaos, so team members need a framework to guide them. A well-organized logbook makes all the difference here.

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What is logging?

Logging refers to the process of documenting crisis meetings. This is done by the crisis team’s logger. The logger briefly records, in concrete terms, what is discussed during the various phases of decision-making. This includes situation assessment (what is the situation), analysis (impact, bottlenecks, and possible scenarios), and decision-making (decisions and actions). In addition, the logger also tracks the status of actions: for example, whether they are “in progress” or “completed.”

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Why is logging so important?

Without a logbook, a crisis team is lost. Here are a few reasons:

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1. The logbook as the "single point of truth."
   The team is bombarded with an enormous amount of information, and it is impossible to remember it all. If team members simply take their own notes, multiple versions of the truth emerge. It is therefore crucial that the crisis team has a single source of information on which to base its decision-making. This brings calm to crisis meetings.
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2. Keep track of tasks.
   Many tasks need to be completed to manage the situation. Without an overview of delegated tasks, the people responsible, and the status of those tasks, it’s impossible to stay on top of things.
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3. 
   Handover Information When a team member is relieved of duty, a proper handover is essential. And that can only happen if there is a clear logbook.
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4. Information Management
   The crisis team’s log serves as a key source of information for the rest of the crisis organization. What is the current situation? What are the most important decisions? And what can we expect?
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5. Use After the Crisis
   Once a crisis has passed, it’s important to conduct an evaluation. A comprehensive logbook is an invaluable tool for this. But even when a regulatory body, investigative agency, or insurer becomes involved, having a logbook is no luxury.
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