HKSM
Fallback Plan
A preplanned backup set of activities to use when the main approach must be dropped because of problems, realized risks, or other disruptions.
Key Points
- Prepared in advance and documented with clear triggers, owners, and step-by-step actions.
- Activated when the primary plan becomes impractical or unsafe, often including rollback or switch-over steps.
- Requires reserved resources, approvals, and communication plans to execute quickly.
- Different from a workaround (unplanned quick fix) and from mitigation actions (taken beforehand to reduce risk).
Example
During an ERP go-live, severe performance issues make the planned cutover unworkable. The team enacts the fallback plan: roll back to the legacy system, extend the parallel run for two weeks, notify stakeholders, and schedule a new cutover window after fixes.
PMP Example Question
During deployment, a critical service outage makes the planned cutover impossible. The team executes a documented rollback and temporary manual processing steps defined ahead of time. What is this called?
- Contingency plan
- Fallback plan
- Workaround
- Mitigation strategy
Correct Answer: B — Fallback plan
Explanation: A fallback plan is a preapproved backup course of action used when the primary plan cannot proceed. A workaround is unplanned, and mitigation reduces risk before it occurs; a contingency plan addresses a specific risk event.
