The Communication Plan:

We see that the likelyhood of a large communications failure seems to be increasing daily. And the importance of communications is increasing as we become more interdependent. So the prudent among us realize that we might benefit by taking some steps now to mitigate the problem in the future.

So we create a plan of action. Lets call it a Communications Plan or ComPlan to keep it short. Here we will define the likely-hood of various threats and create ways to reduce or eliminate those threats. There are two titles here which can get confused. The ComPlan (Communications Plan) is the overall plan you are trying to create. The ComCon's (Communication Conditions) provide the guidelines for your action.

But remember Murphy's comment “No OPPLAN survives contact with the enemy”. Plans are just guides to get you going. You need to remain flexible and adapt to the situation.

The ComPlan is divided into several components.

First you evaluate who you communicate with. Not just people, but agencies and on-line locations. You note the communications methods and make a big list. Titled: Who do you communicate with?

Then you create several meeting places. Both physical and virtual. Meaning real places, like the corner under the light and electronic places like voice mail, e-mail or many others depending on your situation. Titled; ComPlan: Meeting Locations.

Once you have the list of who and how, we explore the methods of communication and help you select which ones will work best for you. Titled: ComPlan: How do you communicate?

And then we create a information sheet. This provides you with a list of the various techniques, methods, and plan outlines that you have created so when you need it most, you won't be dependent on your memory. It is amazing how much you can cram on a single piece of paper if you plan it right. Oh yes, we will investigate some simple encryption methods so that if the paper fall into the wrong hands, it will not be of value.

So on to the ComPlan: Meeting:

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