How Tabletop Exercises Transform Incident Response Readiness

January 29, 2026
Learn how incident response tabletop exercises help organizations uncover gaps, improve readiness, and prepare teams for real-life cyber incidents.

Enterprise organizations face constant threats, but the difference between fast recovery and ongoing disruption comes down to readiness.

DOWNLOAD NOW: 2026 State of the CISO Snapshot Report

One preparation method is the incident response tabletop exercise, which can make a significant difference in an organization’s readiness. IANS Faculty Jake Williams recently discussed the benefits of tabletop exercises for incident response preparedness. Watch the full video.

 

Tabletop exercises with skilled, hands-on facilitators help enterprise organizations discover and fix response plan gaps and lead to broader awareness and, ultimately, buy-in. Proactively planning for out-of-band communications is important for remote-heavy workforces, and real-world events can validate the importance of preparedness and readiness.

Security leaders should schedule tabletop exercises before security events and solutions rollouts and involve diverse stakeholders in planning sessions. Organizers must also develop clear out-of-band communication protocols for incident scenarios. By investing in proactive incident response planning, enterprise organizations not only sharpen their readiness but also advance their companywide security culture.

DOWNLOAD NOW: 2026 State of the CISO Snapshot Report

Want the full 2026 State of the CISO data? Contact us to receive the full 2026 State of the CISO Benchmark Report. This report features a blend of data and anecdotal market insights you can use to better understand how the CISO role is evolving. Featuring benchmarking data from more than 660 CISOs across a wide range of industries and company types, the report provides vital visibility into the marketplace. All data was gathered from April 2025 through November 2025.

Get the complete report now!

Subscribe to IANS Research YouTube Channel for more practical guidance from IANS Faculty members: youtube.com/@ians_research

Although reasonable efforts will be made to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the information contained in our blog posts, no liability can be accepted by IANS or our Faculty members for the results of any actions taken by individuals or firms in connection with such information, opinions, or advice.

Subscribe to IANS Blog

Receive a wealth of trending cyber tips and how-tos delivered directly weekly to your inbox.

Please provide a business email.