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Runbooks and Playbooks

Overview

In an enterprise environment where software engineers, project managers, and support teams collaborate on maintaining and developing applications, playbooks and runbooks serve as structured documentation to ensure smooth operations, efficient incident response, and repeatable processes.

Definition and Purpose**

  • Playbooks - Playbooks provide strategic and procedural guidance on handling common scenarios related to development, management, and support. They document best practices, workflows, decision-making frameworks, and overarching operational strategies.
  • Runbooks - Runbooks offer detailed, step-by-step instructions to execute specific tasks, such as deploying a service, restarting a failing system, or performing troubleshooting procedures. They are more tactical and prescriptive than playbooks.

Audience and Responsibilities

Document Type Primary Audience Created & Maintained By
Playbooks Software engineers, project managers, architects, DevOps teams, and support teams Senior engineers, architects, and operational managers
Runbooks Support engineers, DevOps, SREs, and first-line responders DevOps, SREs, and engineers responsible for production systems
  • Playbooks are guides for making informed decisions
  • Runbooks are instruction sets for execution.
  • Runbooks are often referenced within playbooks as part of operational workflows.

What to Include (and Avoid) in Each Document

Playbooks Should Include

  • Scope and Purpose – Define what the playbook covers and when it should be used.
  • Roles & Responsibilities – Who is responsible for execution and decision-making?
  • Workflows & Decision Trees – Outline processes, dependencies, and escalation paths.
  • High-Level Troubleshooting Strategies – General approaches to solving common issues.
  • Best Practices – Coding, operational, and incident management standards.
  • Reference to Runbooks – Point to specific runbooks for execution details.

Playbooks Should Not Include

  • Low-level operational steps (covered in runbooks).
  • Outdated or company-specific jargon that may not remain relevant over time.

Runbooks Should Include:

  • Step-by-Step Instructions – Clear, detailed steps to execute a task.
  • Prerequisites & Dependencies – What needs to be in place before executing?
  • Expected Outcomes – What should happen if the process is followed correctly?
  • Failure Handling – Common issues, logs to check, and alternative steps.
  • Rollback & Recovery Steps – What to do if execution fails.
  • Automation Scripts – Reference any scripts or automated solutions where applicable.
  • Escalation Paths – Who to contact when issues arise.

Runbooks Should Not Include

  • Abstract or strategic discussions (covered in playbooks).
  • Excessive narrative – runbooks must be concise and actionable.

When and By Whom Should They Be Created & Updated?

Playbooks

  • Created during initial process definition or major changes to software, infrastructure, or operations
  • Updated by senior engineers, architects, or operational leads when workflows change.
  • Reviewed at least quarterly or when major incidents highlight gaps in documentation.

Runbooks

  • Created alongside new deployments, infrastructure changes, or automation processes.
  • Updated by support teams, SREs, or DevOps whenever new tasks or failure conditions emerge.
  • Must be tested regularly to ensure they remain relevant and functional.

Avoiding Duplicate Information

  • Use Playbooks to Reference Runbooks, Not Duplicate Them
  • Example: A playbook for "Incident Response for Microservices Failures" may link to runbooks for restarting a database, rolling back a deployment, or debugging Kafka consumers.
  • Centralized Documentation Repository
  • Store all documentation in a single location (e.g., Confluence, GitHub Wiki, Notion, or an internal docs portal).
  • Use cross-referencing rather than copy-pasting content.
  • Refer to automation Where Possible
  • If a process can be automated (via scripts or DevOps pipelines), the runbook should reference the automation rather than document redundant manual steps.

Document Structure & Best Practices

Companies or individual projects may already define templates for runbooks and playbooks, but the following popular layouts may prove an additional useful guide.

Playbook Template

Title: [Playbook Name]

1. Overview
    * Purpose of the playbook
    * When it should be used

2. Roles & Responsibilities
    * Who is responsible for execution?
    * Who should be contacted for escalation?

3. Workflow & Decision Trees
    * High-level steps or flowcharts for handling specific scenarios

4. Common Issues & Resolutions
    * Strategies for handling failures

5. References
    * Link to relevant runbooks, documentation, and resources

Runbook Template

Title: [Runbook Name]

1. Purpose
    * Why this runbook exists
    * When to execute it

2. Preconditions
    * System requirements, configurations, access permissions

3. Step-by-Step Execution
    * Step 1: Do X
    * Step 2: Check Y
    * Step 3: Execute Z
    * [Include command-line examples, API calls, UI steps, etc.]

4. Expected Results
    * What success looks like
    * Logs to check

5. Failure Handling
    * How to troubleshoot issues
    * Rollback steps

6. Escalation & Contacts
    * Who to notify if things go wrong

Other Considerations

Location

Runbooks and playbooks should be stored in an agreed location, be that in a Wiki, Confluence, SharePoint location or elsewhere, but this should be kept consistent between teams as far as possible, and be guaranteed accessible by all teams that will require access.

This documentation is worthless if it cannot be found and accessed immediately by whoever is responsible for addressing a situation where it is required.

Versioning

Every update should have a changelog and be reviewed by peers.

Searchability & Accessibility

Use clear and consistent naming conventions.

Ensure both documents are indexed and searchable.

Test Runbooks Regularly

Automate testing where possible.

Ensure that new team members can successfully follow the runbooks without prior experience.

Conclusion

  • Playbooks guide decision-making and provide high-level strategies.
  • Runbooks provide specific, repeatable procedures for operational tasks.
  • They should complement each other without redundancy.
  • Regular updates and version control are essential for keeping them effective.

By following these structured guidelines, teams can ensure that operational knowledge is well-documented, easy to follow, and effective in real-world scenarios.