Thread by @CNA_org

Kicking off live tweeting the #Wargaming Lessons Learned panel, moderated by CNA's Jeremy Sepinsky, during day 1 of #ConnectionsConf

First panelist @elliebartels comments on the big factor right now posed by #COVID19 - the bar is very high for what would merit an in-person #wargame right now

.@elliebartels: need to think about what #wargame designs will work best for the virtual space right now, not everything will translate to our current limitations

Next up: #ConnectionsConf co-organizer Scott Chambers comments on #wargaming for the educational sphere. This year's Join Chiefs of Staff Vision and Guidance for Professional Military Education (PME) & Talent Management marked a clear role for #wargaming

SC: emerging challenges in PME #wargaming include #COVID related challenges (immersion for participants, digital gaming licenses and use of personal devices), as well as non-COVID related challenges
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SC: non-COVID related challenges include #space as a warfighting domain and identifying more diverse "black swans" to incorporate into #wargaming
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Next up: @JackieGSchneid on opportunities for #wargaming and academia, and how that differs from wargaming in the #defense world
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.@JackieGSchneid: one key difference is that #wargaming has no sponsor in academia - contrasts dramatically with #wargaming in the #defense world where the sponsor view comes into play
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JS: #wargaming in academia is always unclassified, lessons can be shared for classified #wargames

Next up: Jeremy Sepinsky on dealing with huge curveballs (such as #COVID19), many have chosen to delay but a lesson learned is to look carefully at your capacity and sponsor's flexibility to determine if that's really the right choice

Next up: Ken Shogren on business #wargaming - discomfort in a game can actually be a good thing, if it disrupts biases and assumptions

KS: too much discomfort (esp right now in the #COVID19 context) is not the goal but some can be tolerated and even beneficial for the purpose of the game
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Last panelist is @becca_wasser sharing lessons learned in the #COVID19 context:
1) just because it could be a game, doesn't mean it should be
2) think about how to shift a game to the virtual space and how that shapes the game - some things can actually be done better virtually

.@becca_wasser:
3) find ways to make it up what you lose in the virtual space (such as human elements) - something we lose a lot of is transparency

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.@becca_wasser: there are a lot of misconceptions out there about how #wargames work - the people who run them are people, not software. How we create that transparency when not #wargaming in person is a significant challenge for the #COVID context

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.@becca_wasser: need to think about how we design #strategy games in particular for the virtual space

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Question re: how to encourage people to be more human in digital #wargaming?

@JackieGSchneid: giving people more time is helpful
@elliebartels: also have to think about the experience for both extroverts and introverts

That's all the time we have for this panel! Join us here at 3:15pm EST for Building #Wargaming Capacity in the University with moderator @SebastianBae.

#ConnectionsConf

Kicking off live-tweeting the session Building #Wargaming Capacity in the University, with speakers @SebastianBae, @j_d_fielderr, Major Ian T. Brown (USMC) and @caitlyn_leong. #ConnectionsConf #wargame

@caitlyn_leong: some of most recent and useful wargaming experience has been president of school wargaming society and in @SebastianBae's class.

CL: There needs to be more professional development opportunities to get new wargamers further experience.

@j_d_fielder: Currently look at options to run a wargame with over 100 students online. Big change from past experiences.

Q&A - @SebastianBae: toward the middle of the wargaming class students begin to have "aha" moments where you can tell the lessons are being comprehended.

Q&A - @ian_tb03: One of the biggest comments they receive is that students wish there was more opportunities to participate in wargaming activities.

Q&A - @j_d_fielder: students say being immersed in the content and context is far more beneficial to understanding wargaming than simply reading about it.

Q: @SebastianBae GUWS was established to offer students a means to network with professional wargaming along with establishing mentorships and learning opportunities

Q&A: @SebastianBae there is a value in learning how to wargame inherent in a wide variety of professions, outside of the professional wargaming community.

Q&A: @caitlyn_leong: skills needed to be a good wargamer are applicable in other analyst roles. Able to leverage that experience wherever you go.

Q&A: @ian_tb03: would like operating forces to tap into the resources they provide. Having positive referrals that make other Marines request wargaming experience is important.

@j_d_fielder: not so much about students gaining game design fundaments, but for them to be able to engage with the materials.

@SebastianBae: There are ready-made solutions and games if you want to incorporate wargaming into your curriculum. Or reach out to wargaming professionals/institutions to pick their brains.

@caitlyn_leong: most useful in wargaming pitch to professors that might be resistant is framing it as experiential learning. Experiences are those that stick with students.

@ian_tb03: established wargaming workshop/"open-house" for students to get hands-on experience and see the value that effective wargaming can bring

@j_d_fielder: Senior-level buy-in is helpful in getting wargaming adopted. Having them present to watch the game in action helps get their support and lends credibility to the audience.

@SebastianBae: most of his students have varying level of exposure to games and concepts.

@ian_tb03: the wargaming community is there to help answer any questions you have, all you have to do is ask.

That's all the time we have for this panel! Join us here tomorrow at 10am EST for the Keynote with Bob Work.

#ConnectionsConf