Playbook Best Practices
Well-designed playbooks are the foundation of efficient incident response.
Core Principles
- Be Specific - Each step should have one clear action. Avoid combining multiple actions.
- Include Verification - After critical steps, include verification to confirm success.
- Write for the Unfamiliar - Assume the reader may be new or under stress.
- Keep Updated - Review playbooks quarterly as systems change.
Do
- Use action verbs (Check, Run, Verify)
- Include expected outputs
- Provide rollback procedures
- Document prerequisites
- Include contact info for escalation
- Test playbooks before publishing
Dont
- Assume prior knowledge
- Skip verification steps
- Use ambiguous language
- Include outdated commands
- Make steps too long
- Forget to include timeouts