Differentiating between BIA and risk assessment
BIA and risk assessment are related terms but not the same. In my experience, many practitioners use the terms interchangeably, which is incorrect.
BIA is the process of identifying critical business processes for an organization by assessing the impact of a disaster on that process. The primary objective of BIA is to determine systems, processes, or tools that will impact the identified business process in a positive or negative manner and then prioritize the recovery of business-defined critical services that support strategic objectives and goals.
As a risk practitioner, it is important to determine which critical services should be protected in case of a disaster. The BIA conducted by an organization will support the risk practitioner in recommending a reasonable and appropriate risk response and guide senior management in selecting appropriate mitigation strategies.
