The Role of Simulation-Making in Crisis Unfolding

Abstract

Believing precedes seeing. In this sense, strengthening alertness – a system’s ability to see problems before they impose themselves – requires emphasizing on what makes believing: mindfulness. Grounded in Karl E. Weick’s theoretical approach, this paper repositions crisis simulation as a sociotechnical process fostering organizational mindfulness and supporting the emergence of an organized collective mind under conditions of uncertainty. We argue that simulation design(ing), through scenario construction, entails a recursive reassessment of organizational preparedness mirroring the full (simulated) crisis lifecycle – before, during, and after. Drawing on a three‑year longitudinal ethnographic study of crisis simulation exercises, we analyze the intertwined processes of design, facilitation and feedback. Our findings show how simulations enact collective sensemaking and organizing through three interrelated reconfiguration dynamics: prospective, actualized and retrospective. By conceptualizing simulations as generative systems rather than mere training tools, the paper highlights their role in shaping organizational routines, coordination practices and reliability mechanisms in crisis contexts.