What are tabletop exercises?
Tabletop exercises are discussion-based sessions where team members meet in an informal, classroom setting to discuss their roles during an emergency and their responses to a particular emergency situation. A facilitator guides participants through a discussion of one or more scenarios.
How do you plan a tabletop workout?
If you choose a tabletop, Moore and DeBoer recommend this 10-step process.
- Review your pandemic business continuity plan.
- Define a goal for the exercise.
- Form an exercise design team.
- Develop exercise objectives.
- Develop the exercise scenario.
- Identify the players.
- Decide on a format.
- Develop scripts and data injects.
What is a tabletop exercise inject?
This is a facilitated tabletop exercise. Following injects from the facilitator(s), players will review the situation and engage the group in a discussion of appropriate response issues and potential solutions. Players are expected to participate in and contribute to all areas of exercise “play.”
Who should be involved in a tabletop exercise?
“Anyone responsible for the BCP should participate in all Tabletop Exercises.” Many organizations delegate one staff member or a small group to create, communicate and enforce the business continuity plan. While many employees understand that the BCP exists, they might not know what policies it includes.
How is a tabletop test performed?
A tabletop test is a meeting to discuss a simulated emergency situation discussing concrete plans to manage the fine details of the occurrence and aftermath of a natural or human-made disaster.
Why do we need tabletop exercise?
Tabletop exercises are used to clarify roles and responsibilities and to identify additional campus mitigation and preparedness needs. The exercise should result in action plans for continued improvement of the emergency plan.
What is a tabletop assessment?
What Is a Tabletop Test? A tabletop test is a meeting to discuss a simulated emergency situation discussing concrete plans to manage the fine details of the occurrence and aftermath of a natural or human-made disaster.
How often should tabletop exercises be performed?
To stay abreast of the current threat landscape and arm your team to deal with it, performing a TTX at least once a year – preferably four times – will ensure that existing staff awareness is always refreshed, and that new staff receives comprehensive training on your IR processes.
Why are table top exercises important?
What is a tabletop exercise?
A tabletop exercise —sometimes abbreviated TTX or TTE —is an informal, discussion-based session in which a team discusses their roles and responses during an emergency, walking through one or more example scenarios. The atmosphere is collegial and exploratory, and is not meant to put participants in the mindset they’d have during a disaster.
What are tabletop exercises for cybersecurity?
Tabletop exercises are not limited to the cybersecurity realm; any organization that has to confront potential crises and disasters can benefit from playing one out. For instance, the State of Oregon used tabletop exercises to game-plan potential responses to shifts in the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Who should lead a tabletop exercise?
There are plenty of consultants who will be happy to lead a tabletop exercise at your organization; however, due to these exercises’ informal nature, more often than not they’re led by internal staff, and you almost certainly have someone who would do a fine job of leading a tabletop exercise using a guide and some solid examples.
Where can I find a good facilitator guide for tabletop exercises?
The State of New York has a great facilitator guide for tabletop exercises. While much of this document focuses on a specific tabletop exercise the state runs to prepare for a catastrophic hurricane, the first few pages provide valuable tips on leading a tabletop exercise that are applicable to any topic area.