ISO 22320 Foundation — Lesson 2: Command and Control Structures, Coordination, Resource Decisions, and Escalation

Learning Objectives

• Interpret the requirements, principles, roles, and dependencies shaping command and control structures, coordination, resource decisions, and escalation.
• Apply a practical workflow and create a reviewable command and coordination worksheet.
• Evaluate the exception where resource requests bypass the agreed command channel and determine proportionate follow-up.

Detailed Topics

• Command and Control Structures applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.
• Coordination applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.
• Resource Decisions applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.
• and Escalation applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.

Instructor Demonstration

The instructor traces a case involving a municipal emergency coordination centre preparing agencies for a multi-site severe-weather response. The demonstration links decisions to objective evidence, records the result in command and coordination worksheet, and tests the condition where resource requests bypass the agreed command channel.

Hands-On Exercise

Complete a controlled exercise covering Command and Control Structures, Coordination, Resource Decisions, and Escalation. Confirm scope and responsibilities, examine the stated exception, reach a supported conclusion, and preserve the outcome in command and coordination worksheet.

1. Define the objective, boundaries, stakeholders, criteria, and expected work product.
2. Perform the activity while recording assumptions, observations, evidence, and decisions.
3. Test normal operation, the exception, and an escalation or follow-up condition.
4. Document conclusions, owners, deadlines, verification methods, and review triggers.

Scenario Analysis

• Identify the requirement or control with the strongest influence on the scenario outcome.
• Compare two defensible responses and explain their risk, operational, and evidence trade-offs.
• Decide how the command and coordination worksheet should be approved, retained, reviewed, and updated.

Troubleshooting Guidance

Start where expected practice and observed evidence first diverge. Separate a missing record from an ineffective process, distinguish unclear ownership from a control failure, and treat “resource requests bypass the agreed command channel” as a hypothesis until tested against the applicable criteria and intended outcome.

Validation Checklist

• Scope, roles, criteria, stakeholders, dependencies, and intended outcomes are explicit.
• The command and coordination worksheet connects conclusions to objective, reviewable support.
• Normal operation, the stated exception, escalation, and follow-up were evaluated.
• Owners, due dates, verification methods, review triggers, and improvement actions are clear.

Lesson Outcome

Learners can apply Command and Control Structures, Coordination, Resource Decisions, and Escalation, explain the reasoning used, and defend the result through command and coordination worksheet.