Runbook

A runbook is a practical guide that lists exactly what to do when a specific situation happens, especially something that goes wrong. Where a broader plan explains the strategy, a runbook gives the person on shift the precise steps: if the website goes down, do this, then this, then call this number.

It is like the laminated emergency card in a plane seat pocket: no time to think, just clear actions in order. A good runbook matters because it lets whoever is on hand handle a problem calmly and correctly in the middle of the night, instead of guessing while the pressure mounts.