Evaluation Methodology for Civil Protection Exercises

Civil protection can greatly benefit from well-considered extensive exercises. Evaluation of these exercises is essential for structured learning, development, and constant improvement, accountability, creation of knowledge, and providing information for decision makers. The INEGMA-E<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> project set out to develop more harmonized methodology for the data collection and analysis of civil protection exercises. Harmonized methodologies will enable more systematic comparisons over time and between exercises. Also, harmonized methodologies will better enable the automatization of evaluation data collection and analysis processes. The research material of this study has been compiled by structured literature review, expert interviews, workshop, and survey, all completed during spring 2022. The case study approach was deemed appropriate for the collection of quantitative and qualitative data from civil protection exercises by means of reading materials, observation, interviews and/or surveys coupled with respective analysis and reporting of results. Structured methods and standard operating procedures (SOP), coupled with evaluator training can help focus on evaluation appropriately on correct issues that are based on the aims and goals of the exercise. The contribution of this work is deeper understanding of how organizing according to exercise type and evaluation concept can help promote evaluation that can help build preparedness, performance, or collaboration. The case study approach and structured methodology provide an opportunity to collect quantitative evaluation data even from multiple exercises over time.