Which testing method ensures that critical personnel are familiar with the business continuity plan?

The correct answer involves the tabletop exercise, which is a discussion-based session where team members review and discuss their roles and responses to a simulated emergency scenario. This method allows critical personnel to engage with the business continuity plan in a low-pressure environment. During such exercises, participants can share their thoughts, ask questions, and clarify their responsibilities, ensuring they are well-acquainted with the plan's details and procedures.

Tabletop exercises often focus on strategic and tactical aspects of the response, allowing for in-depth discussions on various scenarios without the need for physical execution of actions. This familiarity is crucial in real-life situations where timing and knowledge can significantly impact the effectiveness of the response.

While other methods, such as walk-through drills and functional drills, involve more hands-on practice, they may not provide the same level of conceptual understanding and discussion necessary for personnel to become intimately familiar with the continuity plan. Full-scale tests, on the other hand, simulate real-life events in a comprehensive manner, but they also demand a level of operational readiness that might not be achievable in all situations. Thus, the tabletop exercise stands out as the most effective way to ensure critical personnel are adequately familiar with the business continuity plan.