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RUNBOOKS &
PLAYBOOKS ON
TECHNOLOGY:
OVERVIEW GUIDE
1
TECHNOLOGY
PLAYBOOKS
Technology playbooks are a set of predefined,
documented procedures and guidelines that
outline how to respond to various incidents or
events in a technology system. These incidents
can range from system outages and
performance degradation to security breaches
and other operational issues. Technology
playbooks provide a structured approach to
incident response, helping teams address issues
quickly and effectively. They often include steps,
checklists, and best practices for resolving
specific incidents.

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2
TECHNOLOGY
RUNBOOKS
Technology runbooks are similar to playbooks
but typically focus on routine operational
procedures, such as deployment, scaling,
maintenance, and other day-to-day activities.
Runbooks provide detailed instructions and steps
for performing these tasks, ensuring consistency
and reducing the risk of errors.

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3
MAIN USES AND BENEFITS
OF PLAYBOOKS AND
RUNBOOKS IN TECHNOLOGY
Incident Response: Playbooks help teams respond to incidents
efficiently, reducing downtime and minimizing the impact on
users.
Consistency: Runbooks ensure that routine tasks are
performed consistently and correctly, reducing human errors
and operational issues.
Documentation: Both playbooks and runbooks serve as
valuable documentation for the team, aiding in knowledge
sharing and onboarding new members.
Training: They provide a structured training resource for team
members, especially junior engineers, to understand how to
handle incidents and routine tasks.
Continuous Improvement: Over time, playbooks and runbooks
can be refined based on past incidents and learnings,
contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

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 HOW TO START

4 IMPLEMENTING ON A
TECHNOLOGY TEAM:
1. Identify Critical Incidents and Tasks: Begin by identifying the most
critical incidents and routine tasks that need documentation.
Prioritize those with the highest impact on system reliability.
2. Document Procedures: Create detailed step-by-step procedures for
handling each identified incident or task. Ensure that these
documents are clear, concise, and accessible.
3. Review and Test: Have team members review and test the
procedures to ensure they are accurate and effective. Make
necessary revisions based on feedback and real-world scenarios.
4. Storage and Accessibility: Store the playbooks and runbooks in a
central and easily accessible location. This can be a shared
document repository or a knowledge management system.
5. Training: Train team members on how to use the playbooks and
runbooks effectively. Make sure they understand when and how to
reference them during incidents or routine tasks.
6. Continuous Improvement: Encourage a culture of continuous
improvement. Regularly review and update the playbooks and
runbooks based on new learnings and evolving systems.
7. Incident Management: During incidents, ensure that team members
follow the playbooks for incident response, and conduct post-
incident reviews to identify areas for improvement.
8. Automation: Consider automating certain routine tasks to reduce the
need for manual intervention. Document these automated processes
in runbooks.

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"IMPLEMENTATIONS ARE
EPHEMERAL, BUT DOCUMENTED
REASONING IS PRICELESS."
Site Reliability Engineering: How Google
Runs Production Systems - book

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