Crisis Management

Rapid response to crisis situations and disasters

PNMsoft is applying its BPM expertise to assist organisations and teams wishing to operate their Situation Rooms with greater efficiency and less human error. Based on the SEQUENCE platform, this system sets up a clear chain of command and tracks that all assignments are completed as planned. It allows a small central team to manage all field operators, keeping everything under control and in clear view.

Challenges

• Provide the correct computerised tools to manage events and tasks.
• Collect all relevant inputs upon which to base decisions
• Spend more time on task-enabling functions and less on administrative duties, while ensuring that allotted tasks are properly executed.
• Reduce administrative personnel and encourage greater productivity.
• Establish an 'organisational repository' for all tasks to speed their action.

Situation Analysis

In every crisis situation, whether induced by war, terror or natural disasters, the ability to act decisively, correctly and fast is vital. Yet the history of inadequate action often repeats itself, because the people in charge are insufficiently equipped to learn from previous events, prepare themselves better and apply the proper tools when required.

PNMsoft has developed new applications specifically directed towards the management of high-pressure situations, where time is critical. These applications establish a clear chain of command for the workflow process, adding support at each link to ensure coordinated and effective field action.

The system ensures that decisions are carried out as planned, monitored throughout the organisation and that no decision taken anywhere is lost.

Implementation

Using PNMsoft’s highly modular structure, users have the flexibility to set up the SEQUENCE system for each stage of a potential crisis situation – while allocating the appropriate security clearances and permissions for system users. Every situation room can be individually configured according to the type of event, its work processes and work responsibilities. Yet all situation rooms within the organisation, of whatever type, have simultaneous contacts to the central control centre. This builds a high degree of coordination.

Managers have great scope for setting their parameters. They allocate a set of tasks for every event – even calling on the SEQUENCE system to help them define what those tasks should be. Alerts are set for events and a monitoring mechanism ensures that nothing is overlooked. The system can manage both real-time and practice events on the same platform. SEQUENCE is easily integrated into Sharepoint and other third-party software and is very easy to learn. It is also strong in providing detailed reports, which can assist an investigation following a crisis.

Successful Field Application

A National Defence Force has applied PNMsoft’s application to its own environment. The key here was to regulate and improve decision control in real-time crisis situations, stimulating an optimal flow of information and reports between Central Command, mid-line officers and field units. Being able to rely on accurate information - backed up by logs and audit trails - was a critical requirement in evaluating the true battlefield status and taking the right decisions. An additional advantage of the system was to pool all common knowledge and documentation in a systematic and efficient way.

Thanks to this new system, the Defence Force is now far better equipped to respond rapidly and decisively to all mission-critical events.

PNMsoft provides a complete process for managing Situation Rooms. From the central control facility down to the field units, everybody is on the same page when it comes to action points, status reports and priorities. By working as a truly integrated team, the management authority can make better and faster decisions in real time.

For more about BPM for Crisis Management, contact us or request our white paper