Disaster Recovery Journal Winter 2024

A Different Approach to Simulation Exercises By LAWRENCE ROBERT S imulation exercises can be very useful in identifying gaps as well as bringing structure to an organi zation during an unforeseen event. There are many forms a simula tion exercise can take depending on the company components being tested. We can agree, with simulation exer cises or crisis plans, its not the plan but the planning and training aspect that allows us to act quickly and effectively when an event occurs.

next steps. Simulation exercises could be done in scenes, allowing the event to escalate over hours or days to simulate an escalating event, prior to deescalating and resolution phases. At a very high level, we bring folks in, sit in a meeting room for a few hours and attempt to bring a real-time approach to an event occurring. Many times, the results include a “first pass” and an awareness as to expectations and ownership of various components of the event. This may work with a seasoned team that has been through many exercises or actual events, but for novice folks attending a crisis manage ment and simulation exercises, this could be overwhelming, leaving them anxious and with more questions than answers. We are asking them to think and act quickly as we would during an actual event. There is value in that approach.

Typically, when we plan simulation exercises either for crisis, technology, or business teams, we bring key staff into a room and orchestrate a defined pattern to identify the type of event, the initial impacts, and coach the team to formulate

Simulation exercises can also be a catalyst for developing the base-line docu mentation or playbook to execute during an event.

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