Why runbooks fail and how to fix them
Runbooks fail when they’re written for calm, not for pressure. These are the common failure modes and the fixes.
Why they fail
- Too long: responders can’t scan fast enough.
- No ownership: nobody is accountable for accuracy.
- Missing verification: steps don’t prove impact changed.
- No safe mitigation path: only risky actions are listed.
- Drift: the runbook was never updated after incidents.
The fix: a short, testable structure
- Symptom in plain language.
- First checks: one or two queries that show impact.
- Safe mitigations: reversible actions with low blast radius.
- Verification: how to prove each mitigation worked.
- Escalation: who approves risky steps and when.
- Ownership: owner, backup, last reviewed date.
A minimal runbook skeleton
- What users see:
- First checks:
- Likely causes:
- Safe mitigations:
- Verification steps:
- Escalation path:
- Owner + last reviewed:
What users see:
First checks:
Likely causes:
Safe mitigations:
Verification steps:
Escalation path:
Owner + last reviewed:
If your runbook can’t be used in under five minutes, it won’t be used at all.