Tabletop Exercises and Examples for Faculty

Tabletop Exercise Instructions

Who Needs to Do What in a Tabletop Exercise?

For a Tabletop Exercise there are three potential roles: Participant, Facilitator, and Evaluator. Both the Participant and the Facilitator are mandatory, while the Evaluator can be thought of as an “outside” participant that can be helpful in larger Tabletop Exercises. While the minimum number of people required is 1 (the Participant and Facilitator as the same person), it is more effective to have a separate Facilitator.

Participant’s Role

The Participant is the person who will be involved in the Tabletop Exercise. They should be someone who would be involved in an actual event that the Tabletop Exercise is modeling. Therefore, it is best to gather as many people that have a relation to the modeled event as possible to drive the best outcomes.

Facilitator’s Role

The Facilitator is the guide for the Tabletop Exercise. Their role is to read through the initial prompt, drive the conversation to productive answers, and add appropriate Injects as required. They may pose questions to the Participants, either from the Tabletop Exercise document, or of their own, as well as ensure the prompt is clear and scope the prompt as needed. It is best to have a Facilitator that who is familiar with the situation and topics. They do not necessarily need to be someone who would be directly involved to free up Participant slots for those closest to the actual event the Tabletop Exercise is modeling.

Evaluator’s Role

The Evaluator is responsible for keeping notes on the progress of the Tabletop Exercise. While not necessary, they can play a key role as an “outside observer” to the Tabletop Exercise. They should not prompt Participants or interfere unless they notice a hazard to the current Participants. Any interjections from them must be though the Facilitator, who has the option to bring up their comment. Evaluators can be complete outsiders to the situation or simulated event, both to free up Participants and to provide more objective evaluation of the Tabletop Exercise. Evaluators are expected to summarize their observations at the end of the Tabletop Exercise.

What is the Purpose of a Tabletop Exercise?

A Tabletop Exercise is a tool to facilitate role play of a scenario, similar to simulating an experiment before conducting it. While the purpose is tailored to each scenario, broadly speaking the goal is to evaluate current plans and procedures, and to determine risks and hazards. By testing out current plans and procedures (or approximations if there are not currently any), the participants are able to determine their current preparedness level. The injects and questions, either generated by the Facilitator or take from the Tabletop Exercise, are targeted at determining worst case scenarios to help achieve best case preparedness levels.

Simply put it is natural, and even encouraged, to fail miserably in the Tabletop Exercise. For the same reason that it is far cheaper to simulate an experiment before conducting it, it is best to find weaknesses in a Tabletop Exercise and correct them so if the scenario becomes a reality, you are ready.

Where Does a Tabletop Exercise Take Place?

A Tabletop Exercise should use a plausible scenario for every simulation. The Facilitator may modify minor details in an exercise to better suit a particular situation, but all expectations should be reasonable. For example, if it is not reasonable or practical to have a duplicate lab elsewhere, then it should not be considered a viable option during the Tabletop Exercise.

As for physical location, a Tabletop Exercise can take place anywhere, even virtually. It is best to choose a location that is quiet and without distractions, to allow a focused and non- threatening environment. However, if physical system or location based questions could occur (such as where is this building’s tornado shelter), it may be preferable to conduct a Tabletop Exercise on location to generate the most accurate findings.

When Should Tabletop Exercises Be Conducted?

The initial Tabletop Exercise can be conducted at will, although it is best to do so before the event it describes happens. Once the exercise has been conducted, it should be determined in the Hot Wash when the exercise should be conducted again. Generally it is best to conduct exercises every year or two, or when there is a major change in policy, personnel, or organization structure, to ensure findings from a previous exercise are not out of date.

Why are Tabletop Exercises Important?

There are multiple reasons to conduct a Tabletop Exercise. First, it is an excellent method to determine and mitigate human issues associated with unplanned events. Brainstorming plans ahead of time allows you to have the best case preparedness level and clarity when reacting to an event.

Second, it ensures that all of the parties involved in the Tabletop Exercise can voice diverse ideas and viewpoints. Frequently the topics covered are situations we have not or do not want to think about, but by completing the exercise we help to ensure the continuity of our research and safety of those involved.

Third and finally, it should be fun and build camaraderie among the participants.

How to Conduct a Tabletop Exercise?

The Tabletop Exercise is a facilitated exercise. The Facilitator will read each section, starting with the Incident Notification, followed by each Inject, one after another. At each stop in the scenario, the Participants will then review and discuss the Inject as a group. This group discussion should engage all members and everyone should have the opportunity to provide constructive feedback to develop solutions to the issues presented.

The following tips should be observed by all Participants:

  • Do not attack others! Remember, the goal is to be open-minded. As long as the suggestion is on topic, brainstorming is about building up ideas, not tearing people down. The Facilitator should do their best to make the environment open and constructive.
  • Do not rush! The Incident Notification section should take at least 5 minutes, each Inject 15-30 minutes, and the Hot Wash section 20-30 minutes. Plan time accordingly to make sure each topic can be explored properly.
  • Do not cheat! It is okay to fail in the Tabletop Exercise, so do not cheat by looking things up or using outside resources. If you have an existing plan to manage this or a similar issue, you may bring and follow that. If you do not have a plan, make that an action item in your Hot Wash.
  • Do not forget solutions! While the problem or issue may be jarring, it is imperative that solutions come out of the Tabletop Exercise. Therefore, focus on solutions and recommendations to achieve best case preparedness.
  • Do not fight scenario! While the Facilitator may have made some slight modifications to make the Tabletop Exercise fit your organization, Participants should follow the scenario. It might seem funny or unreasonable, but each of these exercises is based on a real event. Therefore, resist the temptation to change the narrative.