Tabletop exercises are discussion-based sessions where key personnel with roles and responsibilities in a particular plan meet in an informal, classroom setting to validate the content of the plan through a realistic scenario. This comprehensive course teaches the skills needed to design, develop, conduct, and evaluate effective tabletop exercises that test emergency response, business continuity, and crisis management plans. Participants will learn to create realistic scenarios, develop appropriate injects, facilitate engaging discussions, and document actionable improvements. Through hands-on practice and expert guidance, this course equips professionals with the tools to enhance organizational preparedness without the cost and disruption of full-scale exercises.
Tabletop Exercise Design and Facilitation
Risk and Crisis Management
October 25, 2025
Introduction
Objectives
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Understand the purpose, benefits and types of tabletop exercises
- Design tabletop exercises aligned with organizational objectives
- Develop realistic scenarios and injects based on organizational risks
- Apply effective facilitation techniques for exercise conduct
- Manage group dynamics and participant engagement
- Evaluate exercise results and identify improvement opportunities
- Develop comprehensive after-action reports and improvement plans
- Create a tabletop exercise program with progressive scenarios
- Coordinate with stakeholders and manage exercise logistics
Target Audience
- Business Continuity and Crisis Management Professionals
- Emergency Management Coordinators
- Risk and Compliance Managers
- Corporate Security Personnel
- Human Resources and Safety Staff
- Training and Development Professionals
- Organizational Resilience Practitioners
Methodology
- Hands-on scenario development workshops
- Facilitation practice with peer feedback
- Case studies of successful tabletop exercises
- Group discussions on exercise challenges
- Role-playing for various exercise roles
- After-action report writing exercises
- Progressive exercise program design
Personal Impact
- Enhanced facilitation and presentation skills
- Improved scenario development and creative thinking
- Stronger analytical and evaluation abilities
- Increased confidence in managing group discussions
- Better project management and organizational skills
- Valuable expertise for organizational preparedness roles
Organizational Impact
- More effective validation of plans and procedures
- Identification of gaps in resources and capabilities
- Enhanced team coordination and decision-making
- Reduced costs compared to full-scale exercises
- Stronger organizational culture of preparedness
- Continuous improvement of response capabilities
Course Outline
Tabletop Exercise Fundamentals
Exercise Concepts- Definition and purpose of tabletop exercises
- Benefits and limitations of tabletop exercises
- Comparison with other exercise types (orientation, functional, full-scale)
- Exercise program management concepts
- Legal and privacy considerations
- Needs assessment and objective development
- Stakeholder identification and engagement
- Resource requirements and budgeting
- Exercise planning team roles and responsibilities
Scenario Design and Development
Scenario Fundamentals- Scenario design principles and methodology
- Selecting appropriate scenario types
- Ensuring realism and relevance to organization
- Progressive scenario complexity
- Multi-phase scenario development
- Developing master scenario events list (MSEL)
- Creating effective injects and problem statements
- Player and evaluator handbook development
- Presentation materials and visual aids
- Technology and tool selection
Exercise Facilitation Techniques
Facilitation Skills- Facilitator roles and responsibilities
- Techniques for engaging participants
- Managing group dynamics and difficult situations
- Time management during exercises
- Adapting scenarios in real-time
- Exercise director and controller functions
- Simulation cell (SIMCELL) management
- Evaluator briefings and management
- Safety and confidentiality considerations
Exercise Evaluation and Assessment
Evaluation Methodology- Developing evaluation criteria and forms
- Evaluator selection and training
- Data collection during exercises
- Real-time assessment techniques
- Participant feedback collection
- Measuring performance against objectives
- Identifying strengths and areas for improvement
- Gap analysis and root cause identification
- Prioritizing improvement actions
After-Action Reporting and Improvement Planning
Reporting Process- After-action report structure and content
- Documenting observations and recommendations
- Developing improvement plans
- Stakeholder briefing preparation
- Exercise documentation standards
- Implementing improvement plans
- Tracking corrective actions to completion
- Incorporating lessons learned into plans
- Program evaluation and enhancement
Specialized Applications
Exercise Types- Cybersecurity tabletop exercises
- Executive-level tabletop exercises
- Department-specific exercises
- Multi-agency coordination exercises
- Developing multi-year exercise schedules
- Budget development and justification
- Progressive exercise programming
- Measuring program effectiveness and ROI
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