Topic: Outbreak READY! Scope, Story, and Sustainability: Developing an Online Simulation for Strengthening Infectious Disease Readiness
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated major changes in how we deliver health-related programs and information. Prior to the emergency of COVID-19, the READY initiative (funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance) was already delivering workshops on operational readiness for infectious disease outbreak response. READY had also planned a series of in-person simulation activities. However, when the scale of COVID-19 limited travel and in-person gatherings, READY pivoted to creating an online simulation instead. The result is Outbreak READY!, an award-winning “serious game”, in which learners take the role of an NGO team lead managing a humanitarian program portfolio.
Hannah Hamrick, Senior Project Manager, Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health who served as Activity Lead for Outbreak READY!, presented the challenges, surprises, and successes of the simulation development process. The discussion was moderated by Simone Parrish Senior Program Officer, Knowledge Management Unit, Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs