Contingency Plan
A prepared alternative response used if a defined risk or unfavorable condition occurs.
Plain English
Know what the team will do if the original plan cannot continue.
In context
A contingency plan specifies triggers ownership actions resources and communication so the response is usable under pressure.
Example
“If the migration exceeds the error threshold the contingency plan returns traffic to the old service.”
When you'll hear this
- risk planning
- launch readiness
- business continuity
Common misunderstanding
A contingency plan is not useful when its trigger or execution authority is unclear.
Also known as
fallback planplan B
Commonly used by
Related terms
Updated: 2026-08-27
