Decision-Making in Crisis Situations

2 Towards A Serious Game Within the Frame of Major Crisis Simulations for Decision-makers: How Do We Connect the DOTs?

2.1. Introduction

Serious games and simulation-based learning exercises are useful training approaches in crisis management. When major crises occur, organizations face critical concerns, such as stress, uncertainties, and the need for quick anticipation and better communication in order to mitigate consequences or avoid negative impacts on high-stake elements. Many factors are critical in a training environment to ensure that effective learning occurs, mainly experience improvement, engagement and immersion, and realism. In a previous piece of work, a set of recommendations was proposed to specify the main components of an improved training environment (Tena-Chollet et al. 2016b). More specifically, we proposed to consider 10 DOTs (Degrees of Training). These DOTs are structured in general, intermediate and specific skills that must be involved in each crisis scenario. In this chapter, we show how to connect the DOTs. To do so, we transpose our previous specifications to the technical requirements of a real semi-virtual training environment (SVTE), which is presented here. We also demonstrate the advantages of two developed software programs: a dynamic crisis simulation kernel based on a multi-agent system (called “Asymut” for Agent and SYnopsys Management UTility) and a crisis scenario manager (called “SimulCrise”).

In the field of major risks, a crisis ...