Homeland Security:Uses and Opportunities forSimulations and Games: Homeland Security: Uses and Opportunities for Simulations and Games Briefing to: Serious Games Summit October 18, 2004 Julia Loughran, loughran@thoughtlink.com with support from the ThoughtLink ODP Team: Rebecca Agrait, Andrew English, David Evans, Ed McGrady and Marcy Stahl


Agenda: Agenda Status of homeland security training and exercising Product examples ThoughtLink’s project Customer basics Desired product attributes What others are doing Summary


Game Developer andProduct Consumer Questions: Game Developer and Product Consumer Questions Consumers Requirements Standards Procedures The World Current MS&G Training audience Commercial games Developers Capabilities Economics Timelines What’s out there? What’s the market? What are the requirements? What can and should developers and consumers do?


Let’s Not Get Bogged Down in Definitions!: Let’s Not Get Bogged Down in Definitions! Building a shared understanding of “sims” vs. “games” might take all day Some games use simulations Some simulations are games In addition, models might be used in both sims and games The term “Sims and Games” will cover the whole gamut of products


Brief Introduction: Brief Introduction Who is ThoughtLink? Who is the Office for Domestic Preparedness? What did they want us to do? Why? Why ThoughtLink?


Agenda: Agenda Status of homeland security training and exercising Product examples ThoughtLink’s project Customer basics Desired product attributes What others are doing Summary


How T&E Products are Purchased: How T&E Products are Purchased DHS does not buy COTS products for T&E ---- Individual jurisdictions do


Today’s T&E Is Primarily Face-to-Face: Today’s T&E Is Primarily Face-to-Face Awareness Training Full-scale Exercises Seminar Games (Table-top Exercises) Top Officials Exercise (TopOff) Education/Training ……. ……. Exercises


T&E Supply & Demand: T&E Supply & Demand Demand far exceeds the current capacity Face-to-face requires instructors and facilitators Effective – but cannot meet needs! Estimated 3.2 million first responders Estimated 4-5 million medical workers Countless others from the private sector Technology can help Expand reach (train more!) Increase frequency (more often!) Lower costs (meet constraints!)


Agenda: Agenda Status of homeland security training and exercising Product examples ThoughtLink’s project Customer basics Desired product attributes What others are doing Summary


Emergency: Fighters for Life: Emergency: Fighters for Life What: A Computer-based game that allows the user to practice strategic and tactical decision-making in responding to thirty different accident or disaster scenarios Who: The Emergency Fighters for Life software is targeted to civilian consumers of PC-based video and simulation games Developed by: Sixteen Tons Entertainment


Human Patient Simulator: Human Patient Simulator What: Incident response focusing on medical diagnosis and treatment Who: Medical individuals or teams (e.g., EMT, nursing, triage, teams etc) Developed by: Medical Education Technologies Inc. (METI)


AEASAutomated Exercise and Assessment System : AEAS Automated Exercise and Assessment System What: Simulation to exercise decision makers in Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) scenarios Who: Responders both at the Incident scene as well as the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Developed by: SAIC for the National Guard


CERRTS Civil Emergency Reaction and Responder Training System : CERRTS Civil Emergency Reaction and Responder Training System What: Emergency response/crisis rehearsal tool for training Incident Command and Emergency Operations Centers Who: Incident Commander/Staff and Emergency Operations Center Director/Staff Developed by: Raytheon Company


Agenda: Agenda Status of homeland security training and exercising Product examples ThoughtLink’s project Customer basics Desired product attributes What others are doing Summary


Project OverviewPhase 1: June 2002 – April 2004: Project Overview Phase 1: June 2002 – April 2004 Conduct research on the availability and state of technologies for training and exercising (T&E) Specifically models, simulations, and games (MS&G)


Methodology: Linking Requirements and Products: Methodology: Linking Requirements and Products Used Rational Requisite Pro to track requirements and product characteristics 100+ products; 1100+ requirements Created attributes allow product and requirement info to be linked Example: Requirements are for team training and incident command – RRP would list matching products


Examples of Analysis: Examples of Analysis Target Audiences Supported


Examples of Analysis: Examples of Analysis Functional Areas Supported


Effect of Our Work: Effect of Our Work States can now (FY04) use ODP grant $ for sims and games States need to consult ThoughtLink’s report In FY05, states are likely to be required to follow ThoughtLink’s requirements-to-products methodology in justifying purchases


Strategic Roadmap:Future Vision for T&E: Strategic Roadmap: Future Vision for T&E MS&G


ThoughtLink’s Report for ODP: ThoughtLink’s Report for ODP Report is available at: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/exercises.htm Click on MS&G link Or from ThoughtLink’s Home Page: www.thoughtlink.com


Agenda: Agenda Status of homeland security training and exercising Product examples ThoughtLink’s project Customer basics Desired product attributes What others are doing Summary


Homeland Security Customers: Homeland Security Customers Today’s T&E is primarily face-to-face Technology is focused at either detailed models or complex simulations Cost lots of $ Generally require a lot of contractor support Users are in the initial phase of technology adoption “Early adopter” customers are driving R&D Most don’t have a mental model of how to use sims and games as part of their T&E program Current customers are primarily larger cities Often led by one visionary person You’ll need to find someone who ‘gets it’


Homeland Security Customers: Homeland Security Customers Local, county, and state agencies will be the main consumers of simulation and gaming technologies Many not able to translate their requirements into product specs Little technological expertise to evaluate choices Busy saving lives and doing mandated training Have constrained budgets and seek Federal grants to purchase equipment and T&E technology Currently no Federal standards for WMD-specific training


Problem Space is Complex: Problem Space is Complex Multiple Jurisdictions Multiple Functional Areas; Widely Varied Audience Multiple Threats


Agenda: Agenda Status of homeland security training and exercising Product examples ThoughtLink’s project Customer basics Desired product attributes What others are doing Summary


Different Solutions: Different Solutions Tactical Tasks StatCare – RTI International Operational/Strategic Tasks Potential for Decision-Making Environment a la Majestic (EA) Using real-world comm devices Reality Response - AIS 3D Environments


Desired Attributes: Desired Attributes Easy to use Low cost - already constrained budgets Easy to tailor to local cities/jurisdictions Terrain requirements for some tasks Automate the modeling and rendering of virtual cities, towns and infrastructure (resources/org structure)


Desired Attributes: T&E for prolonged disasters Scenarios for Low frequency/High impact events Rapid AAR and performance feedback with built-in measurement Follow HSEEP guidelines Integration of C2 and tactical simulations Part-task Training FSE reinforcement Desired Attributes


Areas with few/no products: Areas with few/no products Biological and Radiological events Critical infrastructure protection Mass casualty triage / hospital / health care Intelligence and information sharing Public safety communications Govt. administrative Private sector Transportation Federal, state, and local officials (vs. first responders)


Slide32: Users want products that: Reflect current intelligence about adversary, common scenarios, etc. Incorporate standardized procedures and tasks Demonstrate relevancy to the problems they face Must win over skeptics your need to: Quickly answer “How will it help me in my job?” Demonstrate how it will make their job easier Demonstrate how it will improve job performance Validity


Federal Concerns for Homeland Security T&E: Federal Concerns for Homeland Security T&E Focus on “All Hazards” National Incident Management System (NIMS) “Universal Task List” (UTL) Capabilities based scenarios Standardization of AARs Developing an exercise “toolkit” Approval of grant $ to purchase sims and games for T&E Focusing on open architectures; interoperability; standards; assessing readiness


Agenda: Agenda Status of homeland security training and exercising Product examples ThoughtLink’s project Customer basics Desired product attributes What others are doing Summary


Sponsored R&D Efforts: Sponsored R&D Efforts Main areas of past Federal sponsorship of sim and game technologies Combat, mission rehearsal (DoD) Facility, border, and port security (DHS, DOE) Operations Other Than War, Civil Support (DoD, NG) Some current areas of R&D: Modeling terrorist/crowd behavior Evacuation Bioweapons Epidemiology Pharmaceutical logistics Agriculture


Who is Involved?: Who is Involved? DoD – Multiple efforts, including Training Transformation (T2) JFCOM/JWFC Naval Postgraduate School Institute for Creative Technology (USC) Institute for Defense Analyses DARPA - DARWARS National Labs Stanford University New York University


Department of Homeland Security: Department of Homeland Security DHS has many organizations researching, evaluating, and using a variety of simulation and gaming technologies HSARPA (SBIR awards) Technical Support Working Group (BAAs) Office for Domestic Preparedness (Grants) DHS has established initiatives to foster adoption of “state of the market” technologies


Sample DHS Programs: Sample DHS Programs Urban Area Security Initiative $675 Million for Urban Areas Information Technology Evaluation Program States, locals, industry to develop and explore new IT projects Demonstrate novel use of existing IT to remove one or more significant barriers in HS mission critical areas DHS Regional Technology Integration program 4 urban areas selected across country Goal is to speed introduction and implementation of new technologies Test maturing hardware and concepts


Agenda: Agenda Status of homeland security training and exercising Product examples ThoughtLink’s project Customer basics Desired product attributes What others are doing Summary


Summary: Summary Sims and games can fill gaps Cities (and DHS) are interested Issues facing developers Getting clear requirements Learning about Federal standards that will likely become requirements Finding the right customer Issues facing customers Voicing your needs to vendors Accurately assessing cost and effectiveness Finding time and people to work w/ the technology Wrapping the technology into a larger T&E program


For more information: For more information Stop by our booth in the Solarium Copies of ThoughtLink’s product reviews: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/exercises.htm (select the MS&G link) Or contact Julia Loughran: loughran@thoughtlink.com 703-281-5694