At the end of your exercise, it is the time to gather information to be included in the After Action Report (AAR). To prepare the AAR, exercise evaluators analyze data collected from the hot wash, debrief, Participant Feedback Forms, and other sources (e.g., plans, policies, procedures, criteria developed for the exercise, standards within the industry,…
A crisis can happen to any organization, no matter how big or small. When a crisis does occur, it is important that the leadership team is prepared to handle it effectively. Unfortunately, many organizations fail in crisis management due to a number of reasons. In this blog post, we will outline ten of the most…
The “hot wash,” another term borrowed from the military, is the “after-action” discussions and evaluations of an organization’s performance immediately following an exercise/war game, training session, or an actual major event. Coming right on the heels of the exercise, people’s thoughts are fresh and insightful and are therefore highly valuable to the organization’s preparedness. In…
During the course of the exercise, there will be times when an issue surfaces that cannot be resolved because of exercise time constraints. We define an “issue” as something whose resolution is important to the organization’s crisis or business continuity plan, but that cannot be resolved during the time available for the exercise. These issues…
The saying “a picture paints a thousand words” has never been as true in the world of simulation exercises. The only difference is that it’s not just pictures that can create realism and keep participants engaged. It has never been easier to create simulation videos, audio recordings, manipulated images, simulated social media and much more….
The exercise facilitator and control team will control the exercise through the Master Scenario Events List (MSEL). The MSEL is the primary document used to conduct the exercise, providing the framework for monitoring and managing the flow of exercise activities. It shows when events are expected to occur and when to insert event-implementer messages into…
Once the main objectives of the exercise are decided, the exercise scenario can then be developed. A scenario provides at least two important services. First, it supplies a plausible starting point or setting for the exercise participants to examine particular challenges as well as responses to a crisis (e.g., hurricane, flooding, earthquake, explosion, cyberattack, workplace…
One of the most important, if not the most important step, in the design and preparation of an exercise is to determine the exercise objective(s). It is not unusual for individuals planning an exercise to want to begin by focusing on a specific scenario. While the particular scenario they want to use may work, we…
In the previous CC Series Short, 5-Step Process, Step One – Initial Preparation (Part 1), Rob discussed some points regarding what is involved in the initial preparation stage of an exercise. In this short video clip, Rob Burton delves further into Step-1. Do you have questions regarding The 5-Step Process? Contact us today!
As a tool, tabletop exercises, when run effectively and correctly, can be extremely impactful not just to the team, but for the organization. However, as a facilitator of these events, you only have one short window to attain interest and commitment for future sessions. This is a vital step in your journey to building a…