Abstract
Results are presented from the I/ITSEC 2024 workshop (From the Last of Us to the First of Us – Rebuilding after a Zombie Crisis Phase II) and a workshop conducted with employees of the Hope Research Center (HRC) at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI). Players built on decisions made by I/ITSEC 2023 workshop participants during crisis events in the first month following the collapse of civilization; a year has passed, and participants must thrive and survive. Time-restricted scenarios required teams to make decisions that affected their ability to prosper within the zombie threat, and determine who to trust and how much risk to assume while focusing on rebuilding civil society. For 2024, the 2023 Table-Top/Live Action Role Playing Game was modified with card game features that required players to rapidly develop and manage resources, form leader and job roles, negotiate, prioritize critical information, attempt risk mitigation strategies, generate solutions, and engage in short and long-term planning while incorporating moral/social anxiety. Perceived game confidence, team cohesion, team efficacy, team process, and game reactions were assessed. In addition, observed team processes were assessed using a tablet loaded with the Generalized Intelligent Framework for Tutoring (GIFT) system. Audio/video recordings of gameplay were collected, and a midpoint and final After-Action Review (AAR) were conducted. As in 2023 the game received very positive reviews. Post-game cohesion and team efficacy were significantly more positive, and post-game team process attitudes improved, possibly because teams remained mostly intact with only a few departing to become zombie horde managers. We verified that teamwork could be observed and assessed, with teams performing mostly at or above expectations throughout the game. We verified that teamwork behavioral markers could be identified via audio recordings that automatically analyzed key word phrases for teamwork. Lessons learned and recommendations for future research are discussed.