Incident Communication Handbook

A practical guide for clear, timely, and trustworthy communication before, during, and after incidents or planned maintenance.

Effective communication is the backbone of incident management. Whether facing an unexpected outage or scheduling planned maintenance, how you inform and engage stakeholders can make the difference between confusion and confidence. This handbook provides step-by-step guidance for preparing, responding, and following up—ensuring your team delivers the right message at the right time.

By adopting the practices outlined here, organizations can minimize disruption, maintain transparency, and foster trust with internal and external audiences. Use this handbook to build a communication culture that supports reliability, accountability, and continuous improvement across every stage of the incident lifecycle.