Debriefing Simulation #2

This section offers guidance on the debriefing of ECB Simulation #2, generally conducted the day after the exercise.

Rationale

Debriefing is an essential phase in the simulation experience.  Learners are encouraged to make connections between the experiencesgained from the simulation and their real-life experience. In essence, this is the phase in which the lessons from the exercise are analysed, generalised, and learned (see Annex 1:  The Experiential Learning Cycle.)  There are numerous reasons for spending the time to debrief the simulation experience fully: 

• To answer learners’ questions
• To sort out and clarify learners’ thinking
• To reinforce specific learning points
• To link key simulation actions, decisions, and topics to “real life”

Debriefing generally occurs after the simulation has been completed  There are some cases, however, where the simulation administrators may decide during the simulation exercise to hold short debriefing sessions as needed to point out critical issues.

Approach

The debriefing is intended to allow participants to analyse the various challenges confronted and measures taken (or not taken) in the simulation exercise. As each simulation will inevitably pose its own unique learning opportunities – i.e. issues, concerns, challenges unique to each exercise – the approach to debriefing should emphasize flexibility and adaptation.

It may become clear during the actual simulation or the venting sessions, or through informal talks held after the exercise that a previously unanticipated coordination issue or set of coordination issues took center stage and became a critical concern of the participants. Simulation administrators are encouraged to adapt the debriefing as needed to ensure that such issues are analysed and discussed as needed.

Duration

Many simulation organisers make the mistake of thinking that the exercise is in and of itself the actual learning experience and, as a result, tend to underestimate the importance of debriefing the exercise. In fact, the simulation exercise it is only one aspect of the learning experience. True learning requires reflection, generalisation of lessons learned, and some thinking about how the lessons learned from the exercise might be applied in one’s real working life. These aspects of learning require a well-planned, facilitated debriefing of the simulation exercise.

A general rule: plan to spend at least as much time debriefing/analysing the simulation as you spent in the actual exercise – if not longer. That is, if you have run the full six hour long simulation (including Hour Zero), you should plan on a full day of debriefing and analysis (09:00 – 17:00 with time for coffee breaks and a sit-down lunch.) Even an “abridged” version of the simulation – say, two or three hours of exercise, including Hour Zero – will still likely require at least a half day of debriefing to reap the benefits of the exercise.

Focus on Learning Objectives

Remember:  the simulation is conducted to achieve - or work towards achieving – defined learning objectives. The facilitation team should ensure that debriefing sessions tackle the issues and concerns inherent in those objectives.  For example, if one of the simulation objectives is to enable participants to “analyse and describe management behaviors that either foster or inhibit multi-agency collaboration and coordination”, then ensure that somewhere in the debriefing this issue is addressed. 

That is, if participants have addressed this concern in the simulation exercise, ask how they proceeded: “Which behaviors seemed to foster the coordiation process?” “Which behaviors inhibited coordination?”  “What opportunities did you find for enhancing coordination?”  “How did you take advantage of them?”

If they haven’t addressed this key concern in the simulation, then be sure to have the participants explain why not and how they might address this issue in a real emergency.

The critical point is to structure the debriefing questions to ensure that participants address key coordination concerns.

Developing the Agenda

The debriefing agenda should be adapted to ensure a focus on (a) the particular objectives of the simulation as worked out in advance with senior managers of the country or regional office, and (b) issues or challenges that arose during the exercise and appear to provide key learning opportunities. In general, the debriefing should include the following:

The agenda used for the debriefing of the ECB Simulation #2 pilot in Sierra Leone was as follows: