Gaming for disaster and crisis preparedness

How a UNDP-IOM initiative is harnessing serious gaming to create an immersive learning experience

November 28, 2024

a group of people sitting at a table — Experts and practitioners from UNDP, IOM, IFRC, and OCHA gather for an immersive experience for preparedness and anticipatory action.

Ingrid Daba, IOM

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have joined forces to design, develop, and deliver an immersive experience for preparedness and anticipatory action. This collaboration is part of a joint capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening national and local capacities for preparedness for response and recovery.

On November 21-22, UNDP and IOM organized a workshop and playtest in Geneva that was facilitated by Imaginetic Simulation + Design, a pioneer in serious game design and immersive training simulations. Joined by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), they brought together experts and practitioners from various regions and countries.

Did you know? According to recent studies, immersive learning experiences can improve knowledge retention by up to 75%.

The primary goal of the workshop was to pilot a serious game designed to offer a hands-on, experiential, and practice-oriented approach to disaster and crisis preparedness. Participants engaged in interactive sessions and provided feedback on the technical content, methodological approach, and strategic considerations for engaging national authorities.

This workshop marked a significant milestone in the collaborative efforts between UNDP and IOM to strengthen national capacities for preparedness.

Looking Ahead

The successful completion of this workshop sets the stage for finalizing the serious game, which will be available for rollout globally in 2025. Both UNDP and IOM are committed to leveraging this innovative tool to enhance preparedness and anticipatory action globally.

For more information and requests to roll out the game, please contact:

Ms. Ioana Creitaru, Programme Specialist – Early Warning and Preparedness, UNDP (ioana.creitaru@undp.org)
Ms. Fatma Said, Emergency Preparedness Officer, IOM (fsaid@iom.int)