How do you test coordination in crisis communications exercises?
Startiing  the exercise press conference

Starting the exercise press conference

Here is how we do it.

During the IATA Crisis Communications in the Age of Social Media Conference in Istanbul, Kenyon hosted an interactive exercise in which the attendees were divided into eight groups. The eight groups represented the following:

1. First Airline – in this case “Braniff”
2. Second Airline – in this case “Imperial”
3. Airport – London Heathrow
4. Local and National Gold Level Crisis Management
5. Multiple Government Investigation Offices (UK AAIB, US NTSB)
6. Journalists – International media, both paid and citizen journalists
7. Aircraft and Aircraft part manufactures
8. Alliance, Code Share Partners and Special Interest Groups.

They were then assigned positions such as the CEO, Communications Director, Social Media Manager, Safety / Investigations Lead, Solicitor / Risk Manger, and Humanitarian Services Director.

They were given a scenario which involved a runway incursion accident at London Heathrow Airport involving both airlines, which resulted in loss of life, injuries, building destruction, and airport shutdown.

The groups were given three tasks:

1. Issue the first media update within 50 minutes
2. Issue a second media update within 90 minutes
3. Hold a joint media brief within 2 hours and 45 minutes

In addition to the scenario various media (tweets, broadcast news updates, Facebook posts, and Instagram photos) inputs were provided.

The goal of the exercise was to demonstrate the large number of people involved as well as the different agendas of the various groups.

To keep the discussion going, Kenyon has created a LinkedIn group “Crisis Communications within Aviation.” Please join in, be part of the exercise and discussion here: http://lnkd.in/bkpADn6.