Step 7: Conduct the hot wash

The hot wash for a TTX should be conducted immediately following termination of the exercise. At the beginning of the hot wash, the facilitator should inform players as to the purpose of the hot wash, which is to verify that exercise goals and objectives were achieved. It also gives players a chance to voice concerns and offer potential improvements to procedures, processes or interdepartmental/interagency coordination while the TTX experience is still fresh.

The most effective way of conducting the hot wash is to have the facilitator review and discuss each of the TTX objectives and determine whether they were successfully accomplished. By going through the objectives, players achieve a better understanding of the evaluation process and any factual mistakes or misinterpretations that may have occurred during the exercise can be resolved.

The hot wash can also help identify any training, staffing or equipment needs and determine whether future exercises are needed. At the end of the hot wash, the facilitator should address any final questions and describe the next step in the evaluation process, which is to produce the After Action Report (AAR) and Improvement Plan (IP).