A Crisis Management control point is any physical location that is used during a crisis These control points perform separate and distinct functions and aggregating them into a single entity is disruptive Examples are: - WAR rooms - Surveillance control room - TOP - CMOC - NOC or SOC - Mission control These locations are often overlooked and not built as part of normal operations

1. 9. problem
management
control
points

2. ProblemManagementFoundation
Objectives
• WAR ROOMs

3. ProblemManagementFoundation
Control points
• A Crisis Management control point is any physical
location that is used during a crisis
• These control points perform separate and distinct
functions and aggregating them into a single entity is
disruptive
• Examples are:
• WAR rooms
• Surveillance control room
• TOP
• CMOC
• NOC or SOC
• Mission control
• These locations are often overlooked and not built as
part of normal operations

4. ProblemManagementFoundation
WAR
ROOMs
a type of command room that a team of
managers can use as a base to control
operations effectively and efficiently while
being free from disturbance or outside
interference.

5. ProblemManagementFoundation
Technical
Observation
Post (TOP)
• ITIL refers to a TOP, but in essence a WAR
ROOM
• The TOP should be able to locate the cause or
causes of the difference between the observed
performance of the system as reported by the
existing tools and the problem reported by
clients. Often these types of problems occur at
the boundaries between systems, where tools
do not measure or have visibility.
• In other words, instead of looking at
dashboards (the green lights), a TOP has deep
access across multiple systems. The TOP tries to
get “underneath” the “green lights” to see and
understand what is really happening.
• You can convene a TOP at any time, but make
sure you have the right people with the right
system-level access. Then, in real-time, the TOP
can watch the IT service or system, and spot
what is really going to happen.

6. ProblemManagementFoundation
Churchill’s prototype
Located in war time in London
• The existing rooms being used for cabinet meetings were under
attack by Nazi bombers.
• Information was required by cabinet. This was represented on maps.
• Communication was required and when the rooms were built a
telephone system was installed including a hotline to Churchill’s
counterpart in the United States.

7. ProblemManagementFoundation
Churchill's War Rooms

8. ProblemManagementFoundation
White boards and interactive screens

9. ProblemManagementFoundation
How to fix anything (including cleaning
white boards)

10. ProblemManagementFoundation
The four war room colours
Measurement of the progress to resolution Availability and deployment of resources
Obstacles and dangers that need to be addressed and
problems that have to be solved.
The decisions that need to be taken which include
agreed actions and strategies.

11. ProblemManagementFoundation
Review
• WAR ROOMs are a crucial tool for
crisis management to handle and
support the Major incident process
• It is an alternative to a CMOC – not
the same