Capability

Operational Resilience simulations

What is this capability?

Teams test whether critical services hold up through severe disruption, including third-party failure and technology outages.

Run these as Microsimulations, full-scale simulations, or facilitated by our team of experts. Each one keeps a record of the decisions your team makes under pressure.

Build a 12-month program Open in the catalogue

Simulations in this capability

Lightning storm over a city, illustrating the Claims Surge: Severe Weather Microsimulation

Natural Hazards & ClimateClaims Surge: Severe WeatherProlonged severe weather drives widespread power outages, sparking a surge of storm-related claims that overwhelm triage teams and push systems beyond capacity. Respond to compounding severe but plausible event causing significant impacts to a critical operation.

Lightning storm over a city, illustrating the Connectivity Down: Severe Weather Microsimulation

Third-Party & TechnologyConnectivity Down: Severe WeatherRespond to severe weather-induced operational disruptions, including widespread internet outages, by verifying role responsibilities and ensuring continuity in communications and operations.

Data center servers in the dark, illustrating the Core Platform Outage: Rollback Microsimulation

Third-Party & TechnologyCore Platform Outage: RollbackA critical platform update turns into a live-fire incident as a scheduled patch unexpectedly brings down key systems. Participants must navigate real-time service degradation, mounting customer pressure, and rollback decisions under duress. This Microsimulation tests cross-functional coordination, incident escalation, and communication flow - providing vital validation of operational resilience, rollback protocols, and regulatory compliance readiness.

Courtroom, illustrating the Defrauded: Vendor Payments Microsimulation

Conduct & ReputationDefrauded: Vendor PaymentsA long-standing vendor highlights non-payment of a significant volume of invoices, flagging an internal fraud situation. Participants are required to review their own roles and responsibilities in conjunction with their organization structure, including policies and anti-fraud compliance frameworks.

A broken chain, illustrating the Exit Plan: Vendor Insolvency Microsimulation

Third-Party & TechnologyExit Plan: Vendor InsolvencyA critical third-party vendor has filed for insolvency, causing both operational and data losses. Can your team execute the exit plan under pressure?

Power lines in extreme heat, illustrating the Heatwave Havoc: Grid Collapse Microsimulation

Natural Hazards & ClimateHeatwave Havoc: Grid CollapseManage a complete multi-site grid collapse triggered by an intense heatwave, focusing on stakeholder communication and implementing contingency plans across multiple affected locations.

Empty office at night, illustrating the Pandemic: Remote Readiness Microsimulation

People & WorkforcePandemic: Remote ReadinessThis Microsimulation focuses on evaluating and enhancing your organization's ability to support a rapid shift to remote work.

Lightning storm over a city, illustrating the Power Outage: Localized Weather Crisis Microsimulation

Natural Hazards & ClimatePower Outage: Localized Weather CrisisManage prolonged power outages caused by severe weather, focusing on stakeholder communication and implementing contingency plans for the affected area.

Ripples spreading across dark water, illustrating the Ripple Effect: Fourth-Party Fallout Microsimulation

Third-Party & TechnologyRipple Effect: Fourth-Party FalloutA critical system failure has occurred in your supply chain, creating significant operational impacts. Your third-party vendor experienced a service outage caused by a vulnerability introduced through an undetected AI-driven update in their supplier's systems. This failure has cascaded through your supplier's network, resulting in widespread service disruptions that are now affecting your business operations and customers.

Data center servers in the dark, illustrating the Sustained Power Outage: DC Shutdown Microsimulation

Natural Hazards & ClimateSustained Power Outage: DC ShutdownA catastrophic heatwave leads to widespread grid failure, forcing organizations to consider drastic action: a controlled shutdown of their primary data center. This Microsimulation tests tactical preparedness, technical decision-making, and procedural clarity under constrained, real-time conditions. Ideal for stress-testing your organization’s ability to respond, coordinate, and protect data when the lights go out.

Empty office at night, illustrating the Talent Exodus: Workforce Resilience Microsimulation

People & WorkforceTalent Exodus: Workforce ResilienceAddress operational disruptions caused by a wave of employee resignations following your CEO’s controversial climate change remarks, focusing on maintaining business continuity and workforce stability.

Shipping containers at a port, illustrating the Trapped: Vendor Modern Slavery Microsimulation

Third-Party & TechnologyTrapped: Vendor Modern SlaveryNavigate the ethical, legal, and operational challenges posed by a tech supplier embroiled in a modern slavery scandal, focusing on incident assessment and communication strategies.

Data center servers in the dark, illustrating the Vendor Outage: System Down Microsimulation

Third-Party & TechnologyVendor Outage: System DownRespond to a critical vendor cyber-attack that has disrupted essential services, focusing on business impact assessment, data review, and immediate contingency actions.

AI RiskAgent Down: AI Agent FailureA forward-thinking Microsimulation that explores the potential impacts and response priorities associated with agentic AI in critical services.

Glowing AI brain and doorway in a purple digital space, illustrating the Model Switch: AI Service Outage Microsimulation

AI RiskModel Switch: AI Service OutageAn issue affecting a foundational AI service triggers a wave of questions. Decide what matters, what doesn't and what to do next.

Mapping is indicative. Confirm scope against your own obligations.

Frequently asked questions

What is Operational Resilience?

Teams test whether critical services hold up through severe disruption, including third-party failure and technology outages.

Which iluminr simulations cover Operational Resilience?

Simulations for Operational Resilience include Claims Surge: Severe Weather, Connectivity Down: Severe Weather, Core Platform Outage: Rollback, Defrauded: Vendor Payments, Exit Plan: Vendor Insolvency and Heatwave Havoc: Grid Collapse, among others.

Who should take part?

These simulations are most often run with Operations, Executive & Board, Business Continuity and Risk.

Can I build a 12-month testing program?

Yes. The iluminr program builder suggests a 12-month plan of simulations for Operational Resilience. You can add or remove scenarios and export the plan as a PDF for your board.

Can we customize these simulations?

Yes. Run any template as is, tailor the roles, plans, critical services and injects to your organization, or build your own from scratch with the iluminr builder.