Correctly documenting decisions and communications during a crisis means: systematically recording everything you know, decide, and communicate in a structured crisis file, with timestamps, responsible parties, and supporting rationale. This applies to every phase of the crisis, from the first signal to the conclusion. The sections below answer the most concrete questions about how to put this into practice.
What information should you record during a crisis?
During a crisis, you record at least four categories: the factual basis (what exactly happened and what do we know for certain), the decisions that were made (by whom, based on what information, at what moment), the communications that were sent (internal and external, via which channel, to whom), and the responses of stakeholders (media, employees, trade unions, authorities, clients). Completeness and timestamps are essential.
In practice, this means you do not only keep track of press releases or formal statements. Informal decisions in the crisis team, phone calls with journalists, internal updates to employees, and messages on social media also belong in the file. It is precisely the informal communication that is most often disputed or misunderstood after the fact.
Concretely, you document per item:
- Date and time
- Who made the decision or sent the communication
- What the trigger or available factual material was at that moment
- To whom communication was directed and via which channel
- What responses or follow-up actions resulted from it
A crisis evolves quickly and the facts change. What was considered established at hour one may already be outdated by hour four. Therefore, also document corrections and adjustments, including the reason why an earlier position was revised.
Why is a structured log crucial for legal and reputational risks?
A structured crisis log is crucial because it demonstrates after the fact that your organisation acted in a considered, consistent, and good-faith manner. In legal proceedings, investigations by regulators, or public accountability, not only the decisions themselves are relevant, but also the decision-making process. If documentation is missing, the organisation’s word is difficult to substantiate.
Reputational damage often arises not from the crisis itself, but from the impression that an organisation communicated carelessly, reactively, or dishonestly. A well-maintained log makes it possible to refute that impression with concrete facts. It shows what information was available at what moment, what choices were based on it, and how stakeholders were informed in a timely and accurate manner.
From a legal perspective — and this is where collaboration with Legal is indispensable — documentation can make the difference in liability questions, employment law proceedings following restructurings, or investigations by regulators. Communications advice does not replace legal advice, but a well-documented communications file significantly strengthens the position of the organisation and its legal advisors.
How do you set up a crisis documentation process before a crisis breaks out?
You set up a crisis documentation process before a crisis breaks out by incorporating it into your crisis plan: who documents what, in what format, via what system. This is not an administrative side matter, but an operational choice that you can no longer make calmly during an acute crisis. Organisations that arrange this in advance gain time and quality at the moment it truly matters.
In practice, this means that as part of your crisis preparation you record at least the following:
- Create a standard log template that can be deployed immediately when activating the crisis team.
- Designate a documentation lead per crisis scenario, preferably someone who is not simultaneously a spokesperson or decision-maker.
- Choose a platform or tool that is accessible to all crisis team members, including outside office hours.
- Establish how long documents are retained and who has access to them, taking into account GDPR and any applicable legal retention obligations.
- Test the system during crisis exercises so that it does not create an additional barrier in a real situation.
A crisis communications manual that only describes what you say, but not how you document, is incomplete. The documentation structure is just as important as the communications strategy itself.
Who is responsible for documentation during an acute crisis?
During an acute crisis, documentation responsibility is best assigned to one designated person within the crisis team, separate from the spokesperson and the decision-makers. That role — sometimes referred to as crisis coordinator or logkeeper — maintains the file while others focus on communications and decision-making. Documentation must never be a residual responsibility that is done “on the side.”
In larger organisations or during complex crises, multiple disciplines work together in the crisis team: Communications, HR, Legal, Risk, Operations, IT. Each of those functions has its own information that must be documented. The logkeeper coordinates and consolidates, but every discipline contributes to the completeness of the file.
A common mistake is that documentation is postponed until after the acute phase. By then, details have been forgotten, timelines are uncertain, and the mutual coordination can no longer be reconstructed. Therefore, document in real time, even if that means notes are initially rough. They can be supplemented later, but can never be reconstructed after the fact.
Which tools and formats work best for crisis documentation?
The best tools for crisis documentation are simple, quickly accessible, and familiar to all crisis team members. No platform works if people encounter it for the first time during a crisis. The choice depends on the scale of the organisation, the nature of the crisis, and the existing infrastructure, but the basic principles are universal.
What works well in practice:
- A shared digital log in a secure environment (SharePoint, Google Workspace, or a comparable system) with editing rights for the crisis team and read access for a broader group
- A chronological timeline format with fixed fields: time, action, responsible party, status, and remarks
- Separate folders per communication type: internal communications, external statements, media contacts, social media, stakeholder correspondence
- A decision log alongside the communications log, so that the distinction between what was decided and what was communicated remains clear
- Version control for all documents, so that evolution is visible
Avoid using personal email inboxes or WhatsApp groups as the primary documentation environment. These are difficult to archive, poorly searchable, and can cause problems in legal proceedings. Informal messages may of course form part of a crisis, but they should be consolidated into the central file.
How do you use the crisis documentation after the fact for evaluation and recovery?
After a crisis, you use the documentation as the basis for a structured evaluation: what did we know when, which decisions were made based on what information, where did communications go well and where did they not. Without documentation, an honest evaluation is barely possible, because memories are selective and after-the-fact reconstructions are unreliable.
A good post-crisis analysis looks at three levels. First, the process level: did internal coordination run smoothly, was the crisis team operational quickly, were roles clear? Second, the communications level: were messages consistent, were the right stakeholders reached at the right moment, how did media and the public respond? Third, the strategic level: what has the crisis revealed about the organisation’s preparation and what structural improvements are needed?
The documentation also serves as input for rebuilding trust with stakeholders. If an organisation can demonstrate how it acted, what steps were taken, and what has structurally changed, this lends credibility to the story of recovery. That is not a communications trick, but a factual substantiation of the efforts that were made.
How Whyte helps with crisis documentation and crisis preparation
Whyte Corporate Affairs guides larger organisations through the full crisis cycle, from preparation to recovery. In the area of crisis documentation and crisis management, Whyte offers, among other things:
- Developing crisis communications manuals with integrated documentation structures
- Crisis simulations in which documentation processes are tested and refined
- Guidance of the crisis team during acute situations, including maintaining a consistent factual basis
- Post-crisis analysis based on the built-up crisis file
- Collaboration with Legal, HR, Risk, and other internal functions from an integrated communications approach
Would you like to know how your organisation currently stands in terms of crisis preparation and documentation? Contact Whyte for an exploratory conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How detailed should notes be that are made during the acute crisis phase?
During the acute phase, completeness is more important than perfect wording. Rough, concise notes with a clear timestamp and the name of the responsible party are more valuable than polished texts that are written too late. After the acute phase, the logkeeper can supplement and structure the rough notes, but the core — who knew what and when — must be recorded in real time.
What do you do if crisis team members disagree after the fact about what was decided or said?
This is precisely why real-time documentation is so essential: it prevents disagreements from arising after the fact about the facts. If there is nonetheless a dispute, the central crisis log is the only reliable reference. If that documentation is missing, the reconstruction becomes dependent on individual memories, which can lead to problems both internally and legally.
How do you handle confidential information in the crisis file, such as legal advice or HR-sensitive data?
Confidential information belongs in the crisis file, but with strict access control. Use separate, secured folders with limited read access for legal advice, medical data, or personnel information. Establish in advance who has access to which parts of the file, and align this with Legal and HR as part of crisis preparation — not only during the crisis itself.
How long should you retain a crisis file after the crisis has ended?
The retention period depends on the nature of the crisis, the sector, and the applicable legislation, including GDPR and sector-specific regulations. As a rule of thumb, files in which legal proceedings or regulatory investigations are possible are retained for at least seven years. Establish retention periods and archiving responsibilities in advance in your crisis plan, in consultation with Legal and Compliance.
What if the crisis partly takes place on social media — how do you document that correctly?
Social media requires its own documentation stream within the crisis file. Take time-stamped screenshots of relevant posts, reactions, and messages, including the exact date and time, as content can be quickly removed or modified. Preferably use a tool that automatically monitors and archives social media, and consolidate that data daily in the central file. Do not forget your own channels either: record what your organisation posted, when, and with what rationale.
Can a small organisation without a formal crisis team also set up a sound documentation process?
Absolutely. The principles remain the same, but the scale adapts. A small organisation can work with a simple shared Google Doc or Word file as a log, provided it has been set up in advance and everyone knows how it works. Designate one person as documentation lead — this can also be the managing director or office manager — and ensure the template is available before a crisis occurs. Simplicity and consistency are more important than a sophisticated system that no one uses.
How do you involve external parties such as PR agencies or legal advisors in the documentation process?
External advisors who are actively involved in the crisis team should be given access to the relevant parts of the log, but not necessarily to the full file. Make clear agreements about who documents what: advice from external parties should be included in the file, including the date and the context in which it was given. Also record which external communications were handled through them, so that the overall picture remains complete.
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