How do we train for crises, understand risks, and build more resilient societies in a changing world?
RisCon26 brings together hands-on workshops where participants explore cutting-edge approaches to societal risks, crisis training, artificial intelligence, and geospatial risk analysis—bridging research and real-world application.
Workshop – RiskLab
The conference will feature three workshops developed and facilitated by RiskLab researchers. RiskLab is the Centre for Societal Risk Research’s primary platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience regarding societal risks and serves as an infrastructure for research on pedagogical methods related to societal risks (for more information, see RiskLab® at the Centre for Societal Risk Research (CSR) | Karlstad University).
Each workshop will enable participants to share their experience and knowledge related to the daily overarching theme in an interactive and playful way. The primary aim is therefore to learn from each other and discuss ideas. At the same time, the workshops will give the opportunity for RiskLab researchers to collect data related to societal risks and the use of serious games.
More information will be provided by email to the registered conference participants in due time.
Photo source: https://www.kau.se/csr/om-csr/risklabr/riskkoping
Workshop – Swedish Competence Centre for Satellite Enabled Social Science Analytics (SESAC): Critical Infrastructures and Accessibility Analysis under Flood Conditions
This workshop introduces participants to the use of Earth Observation (EO), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and basic spatial analysis for understanding both the direct and the indirect impacts of flooding in critical facilities, road networks and accessibility. It is designed as an entry-level, hands-on training event that aims to make complex geospatial datasets more accessible and applicable in practice.
The analysis is based on a realistic flood scenario in Sweden, where extreme precipitation leads to river overflow and surface water accumulation. Roads become inundated, while the access to essential facilities, such as hospitals and other emergency services, is disrupted. Participants are guided through a central question: how does flooding change the accessibility and, who is most affected?
Participants will explore how flood hazard outputs, GIS layers, and demographic datasets can be combined to better understand real-world impacts and to support societal resilience. Through an intuitive introduction, interactive code examples and user-friendly tools, the workshop places emphasis on understanding the full analytical chain — from flood exposure mapping to accessibility impact assessment — and on generating and interpreting meaningful geospatial results.
The overall goal is to bridge scientific methods with society-centered applications and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, practitioners and stakeholders and professionals, working across both natural and social sciences. This workshop is open to students of all levels, researchers, practitioners, stakeholders and professionals. No prior experience in programming is required.
Workshop – Information Systems group / Service Research Center at Karlstad University: An AI Mediated Serious Game for Crisis Training – Exploring Practical Use, Quality, and Governance
Crisis training exercises are widely recognised as essential for preparedness, coordination, and decision making under pressure. At the same time, organisations often face practical constraints: developing and facilitating high quality exercises requires significant expertise, preparation time, and organisational resources. This limits how frequently training can take place and who can access it.
This workshop explores an AI mediated approach to scenario based crisis training, in which a generative AI system supports the role traditionally held by an Exercise Facilitator. The system assists with configuring exercises, generating scenario developments (“injects”), pacing interactions, and adjudicating participant actions, while maintaining an evolving shared picture of the situation. The approach is developed through iterative prototyping and is grounded in established exercise guidance (e.g., HSEEP, ISO 22398), aiming to align with current practice rather than replace it.
Participants will take part in an AI mediated tabletop style exercise using this format, followed by a structured reflection on its performance and implications. The discussion focuses on three practical dimensions: (1) training quality (e.g., realism, engagement, and learning value), (2) facilitation and control (e.g., transparency, ability to intervene, and human-AI collaboration), and (3) governance and responsible use (e.g., reliability, accountability, and appropriate reliance on AI in safety critical contexts).
By bringing together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, the workshop aims to assess where AI mediated facilitation may realistically add value, where it introduces new risks, and under what conditions it could support more scalable and repeatable crisis training. The session is intended to generate concrete insights for organisations considering such approaches, as well as to identify priorities for further research and development.
By engaging crisis management researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, the session aims to assess the potential and limitations of AI mediated training and to identify design requirements for responsible adoption.