Impact Heroes
Human Factors in Crisis
You want your team to make sound decisions even when time is short and information is incomplete.
N.01Who we work withN.01
Who we work with
- Commissioners
- Local authorities and crisis management departments, civil protection and civil defence training organisers, metropolitan authorities and development agencies, ports, logistics and critical infrastructure, businesses managing continuity, rescue and humanitarian organisations.
- Participants
- Municipal and district crisis management teams, command and operational teams, shift managers, coordinators, business continuity teams, rescue organisation staff and volunteers.
- Beneficiaries
- Residents and service users receiving better coordinated help; people working in a crisis with less overload; an institution testing decisions and roles before a real incident.
N.02The challengeN.02
The challenge
Procedures are documented. In a crisis, the failures tend to be elsewhere: decisions with incomplete information, handovers between people and communication under pressure.
A plan on paper does not guarantee that people will act together. We exercise equipment and procedures. We rarely exercise the people who must use them under pressure.
N.03Why work with usN.03
Why work with us
We work on decisions, communication and team dynamics under pressure. Adrian Michalczuk led teams in demanding conditions, including at UNICEF, WWF and Greenpeace. We coordinated a Coalition Clean Baltic project involving over 25 organisations. We design exercises with a crisis management practitioner.
N.04What we doN.04
What we do
- Team decision-making under pressureA disruption scenario, decisions with incomplete information, roles and handovers.pilot 2026
- Debrief after an incident or exerciseWhat worked in the team and what needs to change.pilot 2026
- Communication in difficult situationsConversations with residents, parents and within the team when emotions run high.available
- Observing handovers in a partner’s exerciseAdding the human factors perspective to existing training.in development
N.05How it worksN.05
How it works
- 01
Conversation
Your team, the risks and the exercises you already run.
- 02
Exercise or observation
A scenario close to your actual working environment.
- 03
Debrief and change plan
Team agreements, named owners and deadlines.
After each step, you decide whether we continue.
N.06What you take awayN.06
What you take away
- A team that knows how to decide, communicate and share tasks during disruption.
- A list of where information and responsibility get lost, with owners for each change.
- A debrief approach the team can use independently.
The cost of waiting
A real incident will test the team anyway. It is better to find weak points in an exercise than when residents need you.
N.07Let’s talkN.07
Let’s talk about working together.
We can join your exercise, design one for a single team or co-create a programme for several municipalities.