planning a table top exercise - epicc · table top exercise a review of the processes and...

Planning a Table Top Exercise

Photo courtesy of FEMA

February 2008Laurie Pearce

Don Bindon

AgendaPhoto courtesy of FEMA

1 Introductions1. Introductions2. Common Terminology3 What is it you need to know?3. What is it you need to know?4. Developing a Scenario5 Exercise Time!5. Exercise Time!6. Questions 7 Wrap Up7. Wrap Up

IntroductionsY•Your name

•Your organization•Why did you y ypick this workshop?workshop?

•Who are we?•Who are we?

Continuum of ExercisesContinuum of Exercises

Table TopFull Scale/

Comprehensive

p

Plan Review • More Experience• Greater Complexity• Greater Complexity• More Preparation Time• Increased CostIncreased Cost

Basic DefinitionsPlan Review Exercise

A review of the plan with its owner to reviewits owner to review structure, content and objectives of the planobjectives of the plan

Basic DefinitionsTable Top Exercise

A review of the processes and procedures that would be used in aprocedures that would be used in a real disaster. Used early in the

i iexercise program to detect issues that may interfere with the conducting of a realistic simulation

Basic Definitions

Walk Through ExerciseMethods shift from paper-based topaper based to hands-on. Physical actions are requiredactions are required to determine if procedures in planprocedures in plan will work.

Basic Definitions

Modular/Component Exercise

Exercise focuses on a single critical business function like a call tree or single server application.

Basic DefinitionsFunctional/Line of Business

Exercise activity is grouped according to the purpose or manner in which elements work or are used. An example would be an exercise Photo courtesy of FEMA

utilizing the EOC..

Basic Definitions

Simulation/Mock Exercise

A simulation exercise generally simulates a disastergenerally simulates a disaster and exercises the response & recovery roles &recovery roles & responsibilities in a realistic wayway..

Basic DefinitionsComprehensive/Full Scale Exercise

Extensive and complex exercise that engagesexercise that engages many of the elements of the organization –


of the organization may re-enact the worst case scenariocase scenario.

Types of Exercises

S h d l dScheduled

S iSurprise

Key Factors for A TabletopKey Factors for A Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Developmentp

Exercise Participants

Scenario Development

Exercise Plan DevelopmentExercise Plan Development

Don’t have the same people who develop the plan writewho develop the plan write the exercise

Use a committee to write the exercisewrite the exercise –provides another l i t itlearning opportunity


Don’t write the exercise to point outexercise to point out the weaknesses (but th t h )that may happen)

– if you see a weakness fix it before the exercise


Keep it simple and straightforward!

Don’t make it too bigDon t make it too big a scenario and too

li t dcomplicated


Develop a disaster scenario not a catastrophe

…don’t make it a doomsdaya doomsday scenario


If you only use the process when it isprocess when it is a really big one, it bbecomes a disincentive to exercise for day-to-day operations


y p


Needs to be about team building and relationshipbuilding and relationship building

…it’s early in the yprocess

Exercise Plan Development

N f lt i

Exercise Plan Development

No fault exercise

“Blame the man notman, not the plan”

“Blame the plan, not th ”the man”


Take the time to Prepare!

Exercise ParticipantsExercise Participants

Caution re: numbers!

Organizational behavior researchbehavior research would suggest no

1 imore than 15 in the exercise


Never have an


Never have an exercise before

ki hmaking sure that people are trained re: plan, process and the roles and responsibilities


M k i l d th i ht


Make sure you include the right people in the room – have those in ol ed that can make theinvolved that can make the appropriate decisions

(inputs should reflect the right level – e g middleright level – e.g., middle managers – middle management decisions)management decisions)

Exercise ParticipantsExercise Participants

Remember that people will do what they are used to do y– so training will need to be oftenneed to be often

Scenario DevelopmentScenario Development

If it’s too complicated people will start to p pfocus on the scenario to the point that theyto the point that they forget to work together as a teamtogether as a team


Determine the scope


Determine the scope

Is this a tabletop for: •your business (single site)? y g•multi-site?•industry-wide?industry wide?•with partners?


In most exercises the scenarios always worsen – the inputs make it worse

…which is the opposite from real oppos te o ealife where things do get betterget better


So, make sure the scenario has a positive outcomehas a positive outcome

… no need to be “Pollyanna” – but the scenario shouldthe scenario should demonstrate improvementimprovement


Make sure that the scenario engagesscenario engages the right people and that the scenariothat the scenario includes them (e.g., i l ll l k)single payroll clerk)

– who isn’t there


Certain thingsCertain things need to be specific notspecific not generic


Have to reinforce your


Have to reinforce your business continuity

l d ’t j t fplan – don’t just focus on emergency response

…critical business…critical business functions should be exercisedexercised

Scenario DevelopmentInclude non-critical business


functions to ensure that there is an understanding of what isan understanding of what is critical and not critical

Consider what you are t i t d llnot going to do as well

as what you are going to do


Consider what links i t ithexist with emergency

responders – consider their immediate arrival versus a short delay, or a long delay


Take people out of


Take people out of their comfort zone –h h d l i hhave them deal with emergency management situations that are not part of ptheir normal practice or day-to-dayor day-to-day


Don’t testDon t test communications!


Remember that nothat no scenario ever unfolds as isunfolds as is practiced in

l lif !real life!

Introducing the CompanyIntroducing the Company

EPICC InternationalInternational Inc.

Introducing the SituationIntroducing the Situation

The B k dBackground

The Objectivesj

Introducing the ScenarioIntroducing the Scenario

Explosion!!

Task One

Complete the

Task One

Complete the scenario to iincorporate the points listed in the background g& to meet the objectivesobjectives

Task TwoTask Two

Identify the resourcesresources

Task ThreeDevelop an

Task Three

Input to meet the Objective j

An input should bring gout a situation for thefor the participants to

tiaction

Let’s PlayLet s PlayConsider

•Does the input make sense?•Does it meet the objective?objective?

ReviewReview

•Did the inputDid the input make sense?•Did it meet the•Did it meet the objective?

Key Factors for A TabletopKey Factors for A Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Developmentp


Scenario De elopmentDevelopment

Questions?

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