As financial institutions approach the 2025 operational resilience self-assessment deadline, one thing has become crystal clear: continuous improvement isn't just a buzzword—it's the cornerstone of sustainable operational resilience.
Through my work with leading financial institutions, I've observed that the most resilient organizations don't just meet regulatory requirements; they embrace a culture of constant evolution. Let's explore how successful institutions are transforming their approach to continuous improvement in operational resilience.
Rethinking the Lessons Learned Process
Gone are the days when incident reports gathered dust in digital archives. Forward-thinking institutions are now treating every operational disruption—whether major or minor—as a golden opportunity for enhancement. They're implementing structured "learning loops" where insights from incidents are rapidly converted into actionable improvements.
What's particularly effective is the shift from reactive to proactive learning. Instead of waiting for incidents to occur, leading institutions are conducting regular scenario planning exercises and stress tests, using the insights to strengthen their resilience framework before real challenges emerge.
Change Implementation: The Art of Strategic Evolution
The most successful institutions have mastered the delicate balance between swift implementation and careful consideration. They're adopting agile methodologies for resilience-related changes, breaking down major improvements into manageable sprints while maintaining comprehensive oversight.
A key trend I'm seeing is the integration of change impact assessments with operational resilience metrics. This ensures that every modification enhances rather than compromises the overall resilience posture. The most effective organizations are using sophisticated modelling tools to predict how changes might affect their important business services before implementation.
Effectiveness Monitoring: Beyond Traditional Metrics
The bar for effectiveness monitoring has been raised significantly. Leading institutions are moving beyond simple uptime measurements and incident counts. They're developing comprehensive dashboards that track the health of their operational resilience program across multiple dimensions:
What's particularly innovative is the integration of predictive analytics to identify potential resilience gaps before they manifest as incidents.
Scheduled Reviews: From Calendar-Based to Dynamic Assessment
The traditional annual review cycle is evolving into a more dynamic approach. Successful institutions are implementing rolling review programs where different components of their operational resilience framework are assessed at optimal intervals based on risk levels and change frequency.
They're also incorporating external factors into their review scheduling—regulatory changes, emerging threats, industry incidents, and technological advances all trigger targeted reviews of relevant framework components.
Update Procedures: The Power of Systematic Refinement
Leading institutions have developed sophisticated update procedures that ensure changes are both comprehensive and controlled. They're using version control systems for their resilience frameworks, maintaining clear audit trails of modifications while ensuring quick rollback capabilities if needed.
What's particularly noteworthy is the emergence of "living documents" approach—resilience frameworks that can be updated in real-time while maintaining governance oversight through automated workflow systems.
Feedback Incorporation: Closing the Loop
The most resilient institutions have mastered the art of gathering and incorporating feedback from multiple sources:
They're creating feedback channels that are always open, ensuring that valuable insights don't get lost in the noise of daily operations.
Looking Ahead
As we progress through 2025, it's clear that continuous improvement in operational resilience isn't just about meeting regulatory requirements—it's about building organizations that can thrive in an increasingly complex operational environment.
The institutions that will excel are those that view the self-assessment requirement not as a compliance exercise, but as an opportunity to strengthen their operational foundation. They understand that true resilience comes from creating a living, breathing framework that evolves with the organization and its environment.
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David has 20+ years of experience in leading exchange and trading operations and has held various senior roles in consultancy firms, specialising in Operational Resilience. David was instrumental in delivering the SIMEX22 market-wide exercise and most recently led the ORYX market-wide operational resilience exercise with UK Finance.