PARTICIPATION
With 4 local experts in crisis management and communication in the CMT on the platform, and 47 citizens on the mobile app, the exercise simulated a health crisis across three rounds. Citizens responded to directives created by the CMT and worked through the exercise with the support of facilitators and the project team. The citizens taking part in the exercise represented a wide range of ages and needs, including older people and people with disabilities.
Next steps
These findings will help the PREPSHIELD consortium refine its platform and app, address technical issues and prepare future online exercises with remote participants. The next exercise will be coordinated by the University of Eastern Piedmont’s Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid and Global Health in the Piedmont region.
Lessons learned
The exercise provided valuable insights into both the potential and the practical challenges of digital crisis response:
🔹 Accessibility and inclusion matter. Participants helped one another throughout the exercise, highlighting the importance of clear guidance and accessible digital tools.
🔹 Reliable communication is essential. Citizens require frequent and robust alerts, clear instructions and alternative communication channels.
🔹 Clear and adapted timelines are necessary. While a smaller CMT may have required more time to assess information and make decisions, citizens should receive the next directives in a timely fashion to remain engaged.
🔹 Real-world conditions must shape the design of future exercises. Online exercises require remote solutions that work independently, without relying on continuous facilitation.
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