Debriefing Phase
The debriefing phase is crucial for turning simulation experiences into lasting learning through reflection, discussion, and feedback.Purpose of Debriefing
Debriefing helps participants:Reflect
Think critically about decisions and outcomes
Learn
Extract lessons applicable to real situations
Improve
Identify areas for personal and team growth
Apply
Plan how to use insights in actual crises
Debriefing Structure
Typical Flow
1
Immediate Reactions
Share initial thoughts and feelings (5 min)
2
What Happened?
Review the sequence of events objectively (10 min)
3
Why Did It Happen?
Analyze decision-making and reasoning (15 min)
4
What Did We Learn?
Extract key lessons and insights (10 min)
5
How Will We Apply It?
Create action items for real scenarios (5 min)
Facilitator-Led Debriefing
Facilitator’s Role
Create Safe Space
Create Safe Space
Establish that debriefing is for learning, not judging. Encourage honest reflection.
Guide Discussion
Guide Discussion
Use probing questions to deepen reflection without lecturing.
Highlight Key Moments
Highlight Key Moments
Draw attention to critical decisions and their consequences.
Connect to Reality
Connect to Reality
Link simulation experiences to real-world crisis management.
Ensure Participation
Ensure Participation
Make sure all participants contribute, not just vocal members.
Guiding Questions
Immediate Reactions:- How are you feeling after that experience?
- What surprised you most?
- What was most challenging?
- Can someone summarize the sequence of events?
- At what points did the situation escalate or improve?
- What were the turning points?
- Why did you make decision X?
- What information did you base that on?
- What would you have needed to decide differently?
- How well did the team communicate?
- What worked well in your approach?
- What would you do differently?
- What crisis management principles did you apply?
- What patterns did you notice?
- What specific actions will you take back to your role?
- How can we improve our real crisis plans based on this?
- What skills do you want to develop further?
Self-Directed Debriefing
Individual Reflection
Participants answer prompts:- Performance
- Collaboration
- Learning
- Application
Your Decisions
- Which decisions are you most confident about?
- Which would you reconsider?
- How did you handle time pressure?
- What influenced your choices?
Team Discussion
Structured conversation:- Round Robin Sharing: Each person shares one key insight
- Decision Review: Revisit 2-3 critical decisions as a team
- Team Strengths/Gaps: What worked, what needs improvement
- Action Planning: Specific steps to implement learnings
Debriefing Tools
Timeline Review
Visual playback of the simulation:- See all events in sequence
- Your decisions highlighted
- Consequences shown
- Alternative paths revealed
- Identify when things went right/wrong
- Understand cause and effect
- See what you missed
- Explore “what if” scenarios
Performance Dashboard
Metrics and analytics:Decision Quality
Scores for each decision
Response Time
How quickly you decided
Team Collaboration
Communication metrics
Resource Usage
Which documents you accessed
Comparison View
See how your team performed vs:- Other Teams: If multiple teams ran same scenario
- Benchmarks: Historical averages
- Expert Decisions: Recommended choices
- Your Previous Attempts: Track improvement
Feedback
Automated Feedback
System-generated insights:- Decision Analysis: Why options were scored as they were
- Missed Opportunities: Information you didn’t use
- Strong Choices: Decisions that demonstrated good judgment
- Patterns: Tendencies in your decision-making
Facilitator Feedback
Personalized observations:- Individual performance notes
- Team dynamics observations
- Specific commendations
- Targeted suggestions for improvement
Peer Feedback
Team members share:- Appreciation for contributions
- Observations about team process
- Constructive suggestions
- Recognition of effective actions
Documenting Learnings
Personal Notes
Capture your insights:1
Key Learnings
2-3 main takeaways
2
Surprises
What you didn’t expect
3
Action Items
Specific steps you’ll take
4
Questions
What you still want to explore
5
Save
Notes preserved in your profile
Team Debrief Report
Collaborative document:- Summary: What happened
- Key Decisions: Critical choices and rationale
- Lessons Learned: Team insights
- Action Plan: Steps to implement improvements
- Resources Created: Any templates or guides developed
Best Practices
Don't Skip Debriefing
Don't Skip Debriefing
It’s tempting to end after execution, but debriefing is where real learning happens. Allocate sufficient time.
Be Honest
Be Honest
Acknowledge mistakes and uncertainties. Growth comes from honest self-assessment.
Focus on Process, Not Just Outcomes
Focus on Process, Not Just Outcomes
Even if results were good, examine why. Understanding your process helps you repeat success.
Make It Safe
Make It Safe
No blame or judgment. The goal is learning, not evaluation.
Connect to Real World
Connect to Real World
Always ask “How does this apply to our actual work?”
Document Insights
Document Insights
Write down learnings immediately. They fade quickly otherwise.
Create Actionable Plans
Create Actionable Plans
Don’t just identify lessons—commit to specific actions.
Common Debriefing Pitfalls
After Debriefing
Access Reports
Full performance analysis available:- Individual scores and feedback
- Team performance metrics
- Detailed decision breakdown
- Comparison to benchmarks
- Certificates (if earned)
Understanding Reports
Learn how to interpret performance reports
Share Insights
Distribute learnings:- Save personal notes
- Share team debrief document
- Update organizational crisis plans
- Schedule follow-up training
- Create resources for future use
Schedule Follow-Up
Continue learning:- Plan next simulation
- Schedule skills training
- Review progress on action items
- Repeat scenario to measure improvement