Tabletop exercises can be one of the most valuable tools an organizational resilience program has when approached with the right mindset and structure. They provide an opportunity for an organization to practice its response to a potentially high-impact event. These discussion-based simulations allow key stakeholders from across the organization to come together and understand how they will collaborate to solve a disruptive problem quickly. In addition, a tabletop exercise (also known as TTX) identifies components of the planned response that, in practice, may not be as effective as they appear on paper, allowing the organization to address those ineffective areas and strengthen its resilience.
In many cases, organizations perform annual exercises solely to check the box for compliance or programmatic requirements. They go through the motions to prove an exercise occurred, but with vague discussions leading to limited audience participation and, therefore, no compelling takeaways, so they miss out on a major opportunity to make a meaningful impact on their resilience capabilities.
By understanding the real benefit an organization gains from effective tabletop exercises and investing a little more time and thought into preparation, any organization can quickly see meaningful benefits from hosting tabletop exercises.
Why Many Exercises Fall Flat
For some organizations, tabletop exercises are treated as an item to check off the list once a year. A session is scheduled, a few people may reluctantly show up, a generic scenario is read aloud, and the conversation stays surface-level. Everyone nods along, some light notes are taken, and that is that. No real learning occurs, no significant improvements are enacted, and the organization gains little value from the simulation.
So, what’s going wrong?
- Lack of Clear Objectives: Conversations drift and stay theoretical without a clearly defined area of focus.
- Unrealistic/Generic Scenarios: Scenarios used don’t reflect how an organization operates; they are too vague or too catastrophic, leading to a disengaged audience. Participants default to a “we’d figure it out” mentality, defeating the purpose of the exercise entirely.
- Wrong Participants: Decision makers and key leaders sending alternates or no representatives entirely force the discussion to stay theoretical and disconnected from how the organization would truly function.
- No Follow-Through: Gaps may be identified and even documented, but without ownership, they go unresolved. This signals a lack of commitment to improving resilience and erodes trust in the exercise process over time.
Reframe Exercises as Capability Builders
If tabletop testing isn’t delivering value, it’s usually because it’s being designed and facilitated with the wrong mindset, not because it isn’t worth doing.
Tabletop exercises shouldn’t be about “testing the plan” or making sure participants hit every item in a checklist. They’re about improving how participants think, communicate, and make decisions under pressure.
When designed and facilitated with purpose, exercises can build confidence, reveal blind spots, and strengthen coordination across teams. The goal is not to be perfect but to practice getting better.
The true value lies in shifting from checking a box to building real capability.
Five Ways to Get Real Value From Exercises
Shifting to a capability-builder mindset is the first step. Now it’s time to back it up with a concrete structure. Design and facilitate exercises with the intention of actually improving readiness.
Here are five ways to make sure the next tabletop testing exercise delivers tangible value:
1. Set a Clear Objective
Are you testing decision making? Clarifying roles? Are you stress testing a new process or technology? Decide what you’re trying to accomplish early in the exercise design to keep various planning aspects, from scenario selection to facilitation, grounded in that common focus.
2. Use a Realistic, Well-Thought-Out Scenario
Build a scenario around something the organization could actually face, going beyond surface triggers and building enough context to explore “why” and potential ripple effects. A thoughtful scenario allows for anticipation of audience response, so the facilitator can guide the discussion without being sidetracked.
3. Invite & Prep the Right People
Include both decision makers and the people who would actually respond if the situation really happened. Provide an overview of expectations and a preview of the scenario (without giving the whole scenario away) ahead of time so they walk in ready to contribute.
4. Set Expectations & Facilitate With Purpose
Set the tone of a no-fault, learning-focused environment where no one is being graded and it’s not about having the “right answer.” It’s about thinking through challenges together. During the exercise, don’t just read from a script. Ask probing questions, guide the discussion, and lean into uncertainty. Real value lies in honest dialogue, not polished responses.
5. Follow Through on Takeaways
Capture the identified gaps and assign appropriate owners to implement technology solutions. Use the findings to update plans, clarify roles, or inform training. An exercise is only valuable if it leads to tangible performance improvements.
Tabletop exercises don’t need to feel like a chore. When approached with intention, grounded with realistic scenarios, clear objectives, and open conversation with the stakeholders, they can become highly effective tools to strengthen an organization’s resilience.
It’s not about getting everything right. It’s about building muscle memory to respond faster, smarter, and more confidently when the next disruption inevitably strikes.
How Forvis Mazars Can Help
The ideal time to stress test your capability is before you need it. Make it count and plan ahead. If you’re looking to improve the way your organization plans, runs, or learns from tabletop exercises, our CFO & Business Consulting team can help. We can help create and facilitate tabletop exercises that deliver insights and value, not just checked boxes. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to a professional at Forvis Mazars.