Identify Business-Critical Functions 

Course Structure

PREVIEW OF COURSE 2: IDENTIFY BUSINESS-CRITICAL FUNCTIONS

How Course 2 Works

Course 2 provides a structured approach to identifying and documenting business-critical functions to support informed planning and prioritization.

Rather than focusing on systems or recovery timelines, this course centers on business-defined priorities, high-level constraints, and draft-level thinking that informs later planning.

Depending on the selected edition, Course 2 may be completed individually (Solo Edition) or through an internally facilitated discussion (Team / Trainer Edition). In both cases, the focus is on establishing clarity around what matters most before deeper assessment or playbook development begins.

What This Course Addresses

Course 2 addresses the prioritization gap that appears when organizations know disruption is likely but have not agreed on what must continue first.

Specifically, this course addresses:

• Lack of shared clarity on which functions are truly business-critical

• Confusion between critical functions and work that can be paused or deferred

• Unspoken assumptions about tolerable delay and pressure points

• Misalignment between leadership intent and functional reality

Course 2 does not assess feasibility, dependencies, or recovery complexity.
It establishes business-defined priorities that inform later assessment and planning.

Time Commitment & Viewing Options

Executive & Leadership Viewing Option (Time-Saving Alternative)

For owners, executives, and senior leaders, Course 2 includes a short orientation video (approximately 15 minutes) explaining why business-critical functions should be identified before contingency or recovery planning begins.

This option allows leaders to establish shared context without participating in facilitated discussions or completing planning tools, and may reduce live discussion time when used in advance.

Team / Trainer Edition — Typical Time Range

Time commitment varies based on organizational complexity and the number of functions reviewed. Course 2 is designed to support alignment and clarity, not exhaustive documentation.

A typical internal delivery may include:

• Facilitator preparation: approximately 45–75 minutes
  (reviewing guidance, orientation content, and planning tools)

• Participant orientation: approximately 15 minutes
  (independent or shared viewing of the orientation video)

• Pre-discussion inputs (optional): 15–30 minutes per participant
  (draft inputs captured in advance to streamline discussion)

• Facilitated discussion: 45–75 minutes
  (aligning on which functions must continue, to some degree, during disruption)

• Post-discussion refinement (optional): 15–30 minutes
  (participants revisit and adjust draft inputs using the same planning tool)

Organizations may scale this approach up or down based on scope and planning goals.

Solo Edition — Typical Time Range

For individual learners or small leadership teams:

• Orientation video: ~15 minutes
• Planning tool use and reflection: 30–90 minutes
• Optional internal review or discussion: variable

Solo participants move through the content at their own pace and may revisit tools as needed to support internal preparation or conversation.

Where This Course Fits in the Program

Course 2 builds on leadership alignment established in Buy-In Builder™ by defining which business-critical functions matter most during disruption. It supports prioritization needed before roles are clarified, dependencies are assessed, or contingency frameworks are built.