Abstract

Rapid Scenario Building and Optimization for Simulation-based Exercises

Madni, A.M. and Madni, C.C.

Abstract

Simulation-based exercises (SBEs) potentially provide a cost-effective, recurrent means for incident commanders and emergency responders to learn how to effectively respond to realworld disruptions and disasters. However, SBEs typically require extensive logistics planning and preparation. As such, exercise directors stand to benefit from scenario building tools that allow them to rapidly build and verify representative exercise scenarios for use in SBEs. Unfortunately, scenario building tools on the market today tend to be costly and much too complex for exercise directors to use. This recognition provided the impetus for ActionBuilder™. ActionBuilder™ is a low-cost, scenario building tool, that allows exercise directors and test planners to plan and prepare for SBEs. What makes ActionBuilder unique are its end user authoring facilities, libraries of reusable scenario fragments and standard icons, scenario preview and adjustment facilities, and capability to output scenario scripts in XML format for use by third party training simulations and SBEs.

From:

Madni, A.M. and Madni, C.C., 2009 Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security, Waltham, MA, May 11 – 13, 2009.