Crisis Management Series
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[CM] Designing and Developing a Live CM Exercise

Designing and developing a live crisis management exercise involves a structured approach to ensure realism, safety, and actionable insights.

Moh Heng Goh
Crisis Management Certified Planner-Specialist-Expert

Designing and Developing a Live CM Exercise

Designing and developing a live crisis management exercise involves a structured approach to ensure realism, safety, and actionable insights.

 

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[CM] Definition of a Live Crisis Management ExerciseStep-by-Step Guide to Designing a Live CM Exercise

Below is a step-by-step guide to creating an effective live exercise:

Define Objectives & Scope

  • Purpose: Clarify what you aim to achieve (e.g., test evacuation procedures, validate IT recovery, improve cross-team coordination).

  • Scope: Determine the incident type (e.g., fire, cyberattack, active shooter) and teams involved (e.g., IT, PR, security).

  • Success Criteria: Define measurable outcomes (e.g., "Evacuate the building in under 10 minutes" or "Restore critical systems within 2 hours").

Example Objective

"Test the IT team’s ability to isolate a ransomware attack while coordinating with PR to manage external communications."

Select a Realistic Scenario

  • Risk-Based: Align with high-impact, high-likelihood threats (e.g., natural disasters for coastal facilities, data breaches for financial firms).

  • Complexity: Include cascading effects (e.g., a power outage disrupts operations and communication systems).

  • Inject Design: Plan timed, escalating events (e.g., "At T+15 mins, hackers leak data on social media").

Sample Scenario

"A fire in the data centre breaks out, triggering IT system failures and media inquiries about customer data loss."

Assemble the Team & Roles

  • Participants:

    • Responders: Crisis team, IT, security, PR, facilities.

    • Controllers/Facilitators: Manage injects, adjust difficulty, ensure safety.

    • Evaluators/Observers: Document actions, timing, and gaps.

    • Actors: Play roles like "injured employees" or "angry customers."

  • External Partners: Involve emergency services, vendors, or regulators if relevant.

Tip

Use a RACI Matrix to clarify responsibilities (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed).

Plan Logistics & Safety

  • Location: Choose a realistic setting (e.g., actual office, backup site, or simulated environment).

  • Tools/Equipment:

    • Activate real systems (e.g., emergency alarms, mass notification tools).

    • Use props (e.g., smoke machines for fire drills, mock ransom notes).

  • Safety Protocols:

    • Ensure no real harm (e.g., use virtual "outages" instead of shutting down live systems).

    • Brief all participants on emergency exits and safety rules.

Develop the Exercise Timeline

  • Master Scenario Events List (MSEL):

    • Outline injects, timing, and intended outcomes.

    • Example:

      • T+0: Fire alarm triggers evacuation.

      • T+10 mins: Report of "trapped employee" in Room 203.

      • T+30 mins: Media calls about data loss rumours.

  • Branching Scenarios: Adjust injects based on team responses (e.g., if PR delays a statement, escalate media pressure).

Conduct Pre-Exercise Briefings

  • Participant Briefing: Explain objectives, rules, and safety measures.

  • Controller/Eval Briefing: Ensure facilitators understand injects and evaluation criteria.

  • Mock Communications: Test tools (e.g., radios, crisis apps) beforehand.

Execute the Exercise

  • Launch the Scenario: Start with the initial incident (e.g., activate alarms, simulate a phishing email).

  • Introduce Injects: Follow the MSEL but remain flexible to adapt based on team performance.

  • Monitor & Document:

    • Track decision-making speed, communication accuracy, and protocol adherence.

    • Use video/audio recordings (with consent) for post-exercise review.

Debrief & After-Action Review

  • Hot Wash: Immediate feedback session with participants.

    • Questions: What went well? Where did we struggle?

  • Formal Report: Summarise findings, including:

    • Strengths: Effective actions (e.g., "PR stated within 20 minutes").

    • Gaps: Failures (e.g., "IT took 45 minutes to isolate the breach").

    • Recommendations: Updates to plans, training, or tools.

Implement Improvements

  • Update Plans: Revise crisis playbooks based on lessons learned.

  • Targeted Training: Address skill gaps (e.g., media training for spokespersons).

  • Follow-Up Drills: Schedule smaller exercises to test fixes (e.g., a 30-minute comms drill).

Key Success Factors

 Realism: Mimic actual crisis conditions (time pressure, resource constraints).
 Psychological Safety: Encourage open dialogue without blame.
 Documentation: Capture details for compliance and continuous improvement.

Example Live Exercise: Ransomware Attack

Scenario:

  1. T+0: IT detects encrypted files and a ransom note.

  2. T+20 mins: Hackers threaten to leak data; PR must draft a customer notification.

  3. T+1 hour: Executives debate paying the ransom vs. legal repercussions.

Live Actions:

  • IT isolates servers, PR conducts a mock press conference, and Legal contacts regulators.

 

Types of Crisis Management Exercises
New call-to-action [CM] Definition of an Incident Simulation Exercise [CM] Definition of a Partial Crisis Management Simulation Exercise New call-to-action [CM] Definition of a Live Crisis Management Exercise
Design and Develop Crisis Management Exercises
New call-to-action [CM] Definition of an Incident Simulation Exercise [CM] Definition of a Partial Crisis Management Simulation Exercise New call-to-action [CM] Definition of a Live Crisis Management Exercise

 

More Information About Crisis Management Courses

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the  CM-300 Crisis Management Implementer [CM-3] and the CM-5000 Crisis Management Expert Implementer [CM-5].

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