Which of the following describes a tabletop exercise?

• A. No facilitator required
• B. Live, real-time actions with participants in a field environment
• C. Discussion-based, facilitated, scenario-driven
• D. Requires no scenario or plan

Answer: (C)

A tabletop exercise is a discussion-based activity guided by a facilitator, built around a specific scenario. Participants sit and walk through how they would respond, making decisions, communicating, and coordinating with others, all in a controlled setting. The facilitator presents the scenario and injects new developments to test responses, while someone records actions and outcomes to identify gaps in plans, procedures, or communication. This format emphasizes thinking through roles and procedures without any live-field action, which helps improve readiness and coordination.

It wouldn’t fit the other descriptions because it relies on a facilitator to guide the discussion, uses a scenario to drive the conversation, and intentionally avoids real-time field actions. The goal is to discuss and decide, not to execute in the field or operate in real time.