A tabletop exercise (TTX) is a discussion-based simulation that allows participants to evaluate and improve their emergency response plans in a low-stress environment. 

Here's a step-by-step guide to building an effective TTX:

1. Define the Purpose and Objectives

• Purpose: Identify what you want to achieve. Examples:

  • Test a specific emergency response plan.

  • Train new team members on roles and responsibilities.

  • Assess coordination and communication between departments.

• Objectives: Create 2–4 measurable objectives, such as:

  • Evaluate decision-making during a fire evacuation.

  • Test communication protocols in a cybersecurity breach.

  • Improve collaboration between the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and local responders.

2. Identify Participants and Roles

• Participants:

  • Include key stakeholders (e.g., ERT members, security, facilities, leadership).

  • Ensure a mix of decision-makers and frontline responders.

• Facilitator:

  • Assign someone to guide the exercise, ask questions, and manage the discussion.

• Observers:

  • Designate people to take notes and track lessons learned.

• Evaluators:

  • Appoint someone to assess performance against objectives.

3. Choose a Scenario

• Scenario Selection:

  • Select realistic scenarios relevant to your organization. Examples:

  • Severe weather (e.g., snowstorm, flood, hurricane).

  • Active shooter or security threat.

  • IT system failure or cybersecurity breach.

  • Power outage or infrastructure failure.

• Scenario Complexity:

  • Match the complexity to participants' experience level and your objectives.

4. Develop the Exercise Materials

• Injects: Create pre-scripted updates or "injects" to introduce challenges and new information during the exercise. Examples:

  • “The fire alarm system has malfunctioned in Building A.”

  • “A local news outlet is reporting unverified information about the incident.”

• Timeline: Include a simulated timeline to add realism (e.g., events unfold over hours or days).

• Supporting Materials:

  • Maps, floor plans, contact lists, and emergency protocols.

  • Visual aids such as slides, handouts, or mock news reports.

5. Set Up the Exercise

• Logistics:

  • Choose a suitable location (e.g., a conference room or virtual platform).

  • Arrange materials, technology, and any necessary tools.

• Agenda:

  • Introduction and objectives (10–15 minutes).

  • Scenario overview (5–10 minutes).

  • Discussion and decision-making (30–60 minutes).

  • Debrief and lessons learned (15–20 minutes).

6. Facilitate the Exercise

• Scenario Introduction:

  • Present the initial situation to participants.

  • Provide enough context for them to start discussing responses.

• Manage the Flow:

  • Introduce injects at intervals to challenge participants.

  • Guide discussions but allow participants to lead the decision-making.

• Encourage Participation:

  • Ensure everyone has a chance to contribute, especially those with key roles.

7. Conduct a Debrief

• Group Reflection:

  • Discuss what worked well and what didn’t.

  • Encourage participants to share their experiences and insights.

• Identify Gaps:

  • Highlight gaps in plans, communication, or decision-making.

• Action Items:

  • Develop a list of improvements and assign responsibilities for follow-up.

8. Create a Report

• Summary:

  • Include an overview of the exercise, scenario, and objectives.

• Findings:

  • Detail strengths, weaknesses, and gaps identified during the exercise.

• Recommendations:

  • Propose specific actions to improve emergency response plans and training.

• Timeline:

  • Establish deadlines for implementing recommendations.

9. Follow Up

• Implement Improvements:

  • Update emergency response plans, protocols, or resources based on findings.

• Schedule Future Exercises:

  • Plan regular TTX sessions to ensure continuous improvement and preparedness.

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Tips for Success

• Realism: Use realistic scenarios and details to engage participants fully.

• Clear Objectives: Avoid trying to cover too many topics in one exercise.

• Collaboration: Encourage teamwork and cross-departmental communication.

• Practice: Run a trial session with facilitators to ensure smooth execution.

By following these steps, you can build an engaging and effective tabletop exercise that enhances your team’s preparedness and response capabilities.

PREPAREDx is a professional emergency management and preparedness training and consulting service. It focuses on helping organizations, businesses, and communities develop resilience by preparing for and responding to emergencies and disasters. They provide a comprehensive guide to designing and delivering your own high-quality, engaging, crisis management tabletop exercises.

VIEW GUIDE HERE

The Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is a U.S. federal agency responsible for strengthening the nation's cybersecurity, infrastructure resilience, and overall preparedness to prevent and respond to various threats. CISA operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and plays a vital role in protecting critical infrastructure across the United States.

The Exercise Planner Handbook is a guide for the exercise planner(s). This document provides step-by-step instructions on how to plan, develop, and execute the tabletop exercise. The Handbook is distributed only to those individuals specifically designated as planners. It should not be provided to exercise players.

VIEW GUIDE HERE 

The Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is a U.S. federal agency responsible for strengthening the nation's cybersecurity, infrastructure resilience, and overall preparedness to prevent and respond to various threats. CISA operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and plays a vital role in protecting critical infrastructure across the United States.

The Facilitator / Evaluator Handbook describes the roles and responsibilities of exercise facilitators and evaluators, and the procedures they should follow. The Handbook is distributed only to those individuals specifically designated as facilitators or evaluators as it contains information about the scenario and exercise administration. It should not be provided to exercise players.

VIEW GUIDE HERE 

PREPAREDx is a professional emergency management and preparedness training and consulting service. It focuses on helping organizations, businesses, and communities develop resilience by preparing for and responding to emergencies and disasters. They provide a comprehensive guide to designing and delivering your own high-quality, engaging, crisis management tabletop exercises.

Each Chapter in this eBook represents a step in the process to creating and delivering tabletop exercises. There are five chapters.

These are the 5 easy steps:

Step 1 – Pre-Exercise Planning

Step 2 – Scenario and Exercise Design

Step 3 – Final Exercise Preparations

Step 4 – Exercise Delivery and Evaluation

Step 5 – Post Exercise

VIEW GUIDE HERE