# Glossary of terms

This section offers easy-to-understand explanations of important terms and concepts used in tabletop
exercises and the INJECT Exercise Platform, helping you navigate through exercise preparations and
discussions with confidence.

## Basics

Tabletop Exercise, TTX
:   a type of teaching activity designed to train professional teams in incident response to a
    crisis situation
    \[[NIST](https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/SP/nistspecialpublication800-84.pdf)\]. The
    simulated crisis happens in the context of business operations in an organization, such as a
    phishing attack on employees or malware infecting the company infrastructure. The team members,
    who hold various roles in the organization (e.g., manager or cybersecurity incident responder)
    \[[Angafor](https://doi.org/10.1108/ICS-05-2022-0085)\], discuss which actions to take to
    effectively respond to the emergency while following proper protocols and regulations. These
    discussions are facilitated by instructors, who also present an exercise debriefing at the end.
    TTXs are an effective educational tool that enhance incident preparedness, particularly in
    communication, coordination, and collaboration
    \[[Angafor](https://doi.org/10.1108/ICS-05-2022-0085)\].

Inject
:   a pre-scripted message, such as an email, provided to trainees during a tabletop exercise (TTX).
    Its purpose is to move the scenario forward and prompt additional actions. For example, an
    inject can inform the trainees about a data breach in their company, requiring them to respond
    accordingly.
    \[[NIST](https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/SP/nistspecialpublication800-84.pdf)\].

INJECT Exercise Platform, IXP
:   The INJECT Exercise Platform (IXP) is an interactive web application designed to support the
    delivery and evaluation of TTXs
    \[[Švábenský](https://is.muni.cz/publication/2390899/2024-ITiCSE-paper-platform-evolution-novel-learning-environment-tabletop-exercises-paper.pdf)\].
    Designers use the platform to instantiate an exercise definition, which prescribes the exercise
    story, injects, available tools, and milestones. An exercise definition is implemented as a set
    of structured text-based files (in YAML format) that are both human- and machine-readable. IXP
    automates a substantial portion of the TTX by providing trainees with tools and inject response
    templates, significantly reducing the workload and personnel requirements for TTX delivery.

Exercise Definition
:   This term refers to a complete scenario that has been incorporated into the required format for
    the platform, specifically using YAML files. Such a definition can be downloaded as a zip file
    and then launched as an exercise on the platform.

Hot Wash
:   a post-exercise discussion or debriefing session where participants and facilitators provide
    immediate feedback and reflections on the exercise. It allows for real-time analysis and
    identification of strengths and areas for improvement.

Tool
:   a simplified simulated version of a real-world computer application or service. Its purpose is
    to allow trainees to perform actions to respond to injects. For instance, instead of using an
    actual email client, trainees use an “email” tool to send and receive in-exercise messages.
    Another example is a “browser” tool that returns an in-exercise website based on the provided
    exercise URL.

Milestone
:   a true/false condition that denotes whether a specific team reached a certain important
    situation in the TTX scenario. Its purpose is to track each team’s progress through the TTX. For
    example, it can mark that a team used an email tool to respond to a query from a manager. The
    exercise milestones can be completed in any order, and there is rarely a single correct
    solution, which makes team assessment challenging.

## Exercise subjects

Exercise Organizers
:   These individuals are responsible for all aspects of preparation, including managing logistics
    and content preparation. They act as the project managers of the exercise.

Exercise Designers
:   Their main role is to develop the exercise scenario. This includes defining the entire scenario
    and preparing the content for the platform. They are the authors of the exercise concept.

Exercise Instructors
:   These individuals execute the exercise via the platform, provide briefings, and conduct the
    final hot wash. Unless specified otherwise, they also analyze the final data from the exercise.

Trainees
:   These are the individuals who take part in the exercise. Their primary objective is to learn and
    gain experience from the exercise.

Exercise Provider
:   This is the organization or department that oversees the entire process and appoints the
    exercise organizers.

Client
:   the organization or part of the organization for which the exercise is prepared and executed.
    Ideally, the client understands the purpose and need for the exercise.

## Components of the platform

Trainee View
:   It is designed for use during the Execution phase of the exercise. It provides trainees with
    access to the exercise scenario and injects, facilitating their participation and engagement.
    Through the Trainee View, participants can navigate the exercise, respond to injects, and
    collaborate with teammates in a simulated environment.

Instructor View
:   It is a comprehensive interface used by exercise instructors during the Execution phase of the
    exercise. It allows instructors to manage the entire exercise, from overseeing participant
    interactions to facilitating discussions and providing guidance. With features for real-time
    monitoring and intervention, the Instructor View ensures smooth exercise execution and effective
    facilitation.

Analyst View
:   It serves multiple purposes throughout the INJECT Process. During the Reflection phase, it is
    utilized for evaluation and data analysis, providing insights into participant performance and
    exercise outcomes. Additionally, the Analyst View serves as a source of information during the
    Understanding phase, offering valuable data and feedback to inform exercise preparation. Its
    intuitive interface enables thorough evaluation and informed decision-making for future
    exercises.

Editor
:   INJECT Exercise Platform Component. It is a versatile tool used during the Definition and
    Preparation phases of the INJECT Process. It allows exercise designers to define learning
    objectives, create scenarios, and prepare exercise content. With its user-friendly interface,
    the Editor enables efficient scenario development and content organization.
    [More about Editor](INJECT_process/prepare/editor.md)
