Past Has Gone but Present Is Yours: Debunking Post-Mortem Process by Safeguarding Lessons Learned during Disaster

Abstract

Many organisations across disaster management disciplines have formal processes for identifying, documenting and disseminating lessons from disasters or incidents in anticipation that they and others will be able to learn from past experiences and improve future responses. However, reports on lessons learned are completed after few hours or days after full disaster recovery from the incident but not during the disaster recovery, in which, leads to missing valuable information. Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) from a psychological context was used as role of theory to safeguard lessons learned during Disaster Recovery (DR) activities. An Action Research (AR) approach with interviews and focus group techniques was employed to understand DR process challenges in client organisation. The DR lessons-learned process was simplified and tested successfully via four simulations and the results demonstrated an improvement in error reduction, which lead to time and cost savings.

Appendices

 Appendix 1: Actual DR Process in Client Organisation

Appendix 2: Simplified DR Process for Client Organisation 

Appendix 3 Post Evaluation Interview

Section 1: Feedback transcript of all 9 respondents for General Feedback on Overall Simplified DR Lessons Learned Process

Question 1: What was your immediate reaction when you were first introduced to this simplified lessons learned process?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“I think this is good improvement, finally we have a centralized database.”
Participant 2	“Good, the database is arranged in a very organized way.”
Participant 3	“Something new for my team as we need to capture the lessons learned in between of each phase of DR test activities.”
Participant 4	“This is what we always wanted to have.”
Participant 5	“It is a good thing as all knowledge will be captured in a single document, and SME can validate in timely manner. Previously the problem log is very isolated and we do not use for future reference.”
Participant 6	“Looks ok but need to improve further, would be good if company can implement in our wiki.”
Participant 7	“Very impressive, an agile way of working.”
Participant 8	“Definitely it will be an added value to my team because all information will be stored in this database.”
Participant 9	“Very structured, just need to motivate each other to capture the information during each DR test.”

Question 2: Do you think that the lessons learned database can assist Disaster Recovery activities effort? Why?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“Yes it will help because we can search for the issue or error from the past.”
Participant 2	“Yes can, my team can obtain the information effortlessly and can reduce repetitive error.”
Participant 3	“Yes it can, we don’t have a database with historical information and now we have it.”
Participant 4	“Yes it will assist the team to search for past issues or lessons learned and reduce error.”
Participant 5	“Yes it will help because we can refer to one single document, the knowledge will be well-preserved.”
Participant 6	“Maybe if it is on the online platform, then it could help.”
Participant 7	“Yes, at least a good way to share knowledge and DR SME can check the quality to avoid repetitive error in future.”
Participant 8	“Yes definitely will help.”
Participant 9	“Yes can support because easy to search historical data.”

Question 3: What aspect of DR activities do you think the lessons learned database can help us to achieve?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“The database can help us to be prepared with relevant information and can make decision faster during the DR test.”
Participant 2	“It will enable to monitor the issues which pending for permanent solution and reduce repetitive error.”
Participant 3	“Historical data will be useful for future big data analysis.”
Participant 4	“It can assist SME to check if all the previous issues or problem or lessons learned has the intended solution or workaround.”
Participant 5	“The SME can perform some analysis because we have all the information in one single database and can avoid unwanted errors.”
Participant 6	“As an enabler for big data analysis.”
Participant 7	“Quality knowledge sharing and agile way of working can be achieved.”
Participant 8	“Since the organisation is moving into big data direction, this piece of database will be an added value for the organisation.”
Participant 9	“It will benefit for data mining.”

Section 2: Feedback transcript of all 9 respondents for Lessons Learned Database

Question 1: What did you like about the lessons learned database?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“Very straightforward.”
Participant 2	“Simple and easy to use.”
Participant 3	“Easy to use and jam-packed information.”
Participant 4	“Single database with all kind of information.”
Participant 5	“Single database.”
Participant 6	“It is a centralized database but can do more automation.”
Participant 7	“Simple and easy to enter data.”
Participant 8	“Easy as some columns are automated.”
Participant 9	“Easy to use and search historical information.”

Question 2: What aspects of the database that you were not comfortable with?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“None, all looks ok to me.”
Participant 2	“All good.”
Participant 3	“Nothing.”
Participant 4	“None.”
Participant 5	“None.”
Participant 6	“More columns can be automated.”
Participant 7	“Maybe need time to use and feedback.”
Participant 8	“It is good.”
Participant 9	“No, all is ok.”

Question 3: What other aspects should the database include?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“Nothing, I think we have all the relevant columns.”
Participant 2	“All good, too much columns also sometimes is not necessary.”
Participant 3	“For now, I think this is enough.”
Participant 4	“No I don’t have anything.”
Participant 5	“Just nice to start with.”
Participant 6	“Database should be implemented in an online platform.”
Participant 7	“Too early to feedback.”
Participant 8	“None.”
Participant 9	“None for now.”

Section 3: Feedback transcript of all 9 respondents for Extent of Goal Achievement

Question 1: Can the simplified lessons learned process help us to coordinate DR test activities effectively?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“Yes can, time can be saved.”
Participant 2	“Yes the lessons learned database will help us to coordinate DR test activities in a more structured way.”
Participant 3	“Yes definitely because this is an agile way of working.”
Participant 4	“Yes it will.”
Participant 5	“SME can easily validate the information stored in the database.”
Participant 6	“Yes, would be good with online database.”
Participant 7	“Yes, the team will be working in an agile method.”
Participant 8	“It will be helpful for SME to check and revise the information, this will enable real-time data for DR Team to use.”
Participant 9	“Yes, can save time.”

Question 2: Do you think that the lessons learned database will ease to safeguard valuable information during each phase of DR activities?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“Yes of course and the information is on a single document now comparing to previously where we captured in each DR post-test report.”
Participant 2	“Yes new information can be stored easily without a need to capture in an email or other piece of document.”
Participant 3	“Yes it is, easy to store information and chances to miss any information will be less.”
Participant 4	“Yes, information or action can be tracked and validated by SME.”
Participant 5	“Yes because DR team can share the knowledge quickly in this single spreadsheet.”
Participant 6	“Yes can, easy and fast to enter information.”
Participant 7	“Yes definitely as DR Team no need to capture or memorize what went wrong or what went well etc.”
Participant 8	“Yes because previously we don’t have centralized database.”
Participant 9	“Yes it will.”

Question 3: Do you think that DR Team will have the self-efficacy and response efficacy ability to follow the simplified lessons learned process?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“Yes, since we have a centralized database I think the Team will have the ability to easily capture the information during each phase of DR activities.”
Participant 2	“If there is a new process, then the team members will have to follow no matter what, but we need to create process refresher training or create awareness to safeguard the valuable information.”
Participant 3	“Single database will be the motivation factor but SME may need to check and keep them reminded.”
Participant 4	“Yes it can because the database is located in a central repository, DR Team can response or act fast to look for information.”
Participant 5	“Yes since this is process related, so have to follow but it can reduce time.”
Participant 6	“It will help to reduce time, but will be difficult because we are dealing with human, we can only tell them but we unable to control their mind.”
Participant 7	“Yes time can be saved a lot, we need to remind each other to capture information. Maybe we need to create awareness or remind the members during Team meeting”
Participant 8	“Yes because organisation is moving to agile way of working and big data and certainly the data will grow. Each of us needs to realize this and support for this changes.”
Participant 9	“Yes, the process is straightforward and easy to follow. Less time will be spent to capture the valuable information directly into the database.”

Section 4: Feedback transcript of all 9 respondents for Extent of Solving Current Challenges in Client Organisation

Question 1: Can the simplified lessons learned process improve the current challenges faced by your organisation? Why?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“Yes, because finally we have a centralized database.”
Participant 2	“Yes it will help and can enable SME to verify, add, remove or revise any open solution which can save cost.”
Participant 3	“Can, it will help to store all kind of information in one single database.”
Participant 4	“Yes, DR team now has the knowledge base to capture lessons learned.”
Participant 5	“Yes can save time and reduce error.”
Participant 6	“Yes, but would be good if we can have it in an online platform (like wiki).”
Participant 7	“Yes it can help SME for further analysis.”
Participant 8	“Yes it will enable the organisation for big data analysis.”
Participant 9	“Yes, but need to motivate each other to capture the useful information.”

Question 2: Can the simplified lessons learned process solve the problem of missing valuable information related to DR activities?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“Yes because we no need to refer back to post-test report which is stored in the word document.”
Participant 2	“Yes it will, all information is available single database, no need to wait for post-test report.”
Participant 3	“Yes, no more missing information and no need to wait to write post-test report.”
Participant 4	“Yes it can because the process changed to capture lessons learned during the DR test.”
Participant 5	“Yes, but it is all depends on the individual to capture the information, SME can further check during root cause analysis.”
Participant 6	“Maybe to some extent.”
Participant 7	“Definitely, information can be quickly entered in the database, no need to wait for DR test to be completed.”
Participant 8	“Yes, it will be easy to safeguard any information and easy for SME to validate it.”
Participant 9	“Yes provided the team will record all the relevant information.”

Question 3: Do you agree that the simplified lessons learned process will reduce error, time and cost?

Respondent	Response (Verbatim)
Participant 1	“I think it can reduce error and time, not sure on cost.”
Participant 2	“Yes it can help to reduce the repetitive error.”
Participant 3	“Yes when errors reduce, time will reduce consequently.”
Participant 4	“Yes it can.”
Participant 5	“Yes it will.”
Participant 6	“Not sure.”
Participant 7	“Yes, SLA can be achieved without any penalty.”
Participant 8	“Yes, not only that but can enable for future big data opportunities.”
Participant 9	“Yes I think.”