Abstract: In this paper, we describe how role-playing exercises can be used to strengthen the resilience of command and control systems in emergency management. Through role-playing exercises, the participants gain experience with adapting to changing demands and risk relative to challenges to their ability to predict future risk, adapt, and recover from harmful events. Role-playing exercises at the same time enable researchers to analyse how resilient behaviour emerges, or how the resilience of complex socio-technical systems may be improved. Two role-playing exercises, one concerning forest fire fighting, the other concerning power grid restoration, are discussed to illustrate these concepts.
Woltjer, R., Trnka, J., Lundberg, J & Johannson, B. (2006). An experience-based approach to strengthen the resilience of complex socio-technical systems. Proceedings of ECCE13 - thirteenth european conference on cognitive ergonomics, 20-22 September, 2006,ETHZ, Zürich, Switzerland.