Roleplay Scenario
Scenario Overview
Your team’s been facing a string of incidents in a key system area. They’re not major, but they’re happening often enough to be a pain and attract some attention. It's time to talk about what's really causing these and how to fix them for good.
Roles & Setup
Role A – Incident Leader (You)
You’re steering the discussion, aiming to figure out the root problems and get everyone on board with a plan to fix them.
Your goal: Keep the talk focused on finding real solutions that’ll last.
Role B – On-Call Engineer
You’ve been dealing with these issues firsthand and know the system quirks well.
Your goal: Share what you’ve seen and work with the team to pinpoint the root causes and solutions.
Role C – Senior Engineer (Optional)
You bring a wealth of experience and can help assess the feasibility of different solutions.
Your goal: Offer guidance and make sure solutions are solid.
Role D – Product Manager (Optional)
You’re keeping an eye on how these issues affect customers and the business.
Your goal: Ensure solutions align with business needs and keep customers happy.
Suggested Openers
Incident Leader:
- “Thanks for joining, everyone. We’ve seen these incidents in [Core System] popping up too often. Let’s dig into what’s really going on and how we can stop it from happening again.”
- “I’m hoping we can focus on solutions that’ll stick. What patterns or gaps are we noticing?”
On-Call Engineer:
- “These incidents seem to happen after certain updates. I think there might be something missing in our checks.”
- “I’ve noticed a pattern with [specific condition]. Maybe our tests aren’t catching everything?”
Senior Engineer:
- “From what I’ve seen before, we might need to tweak our architecture or improve processes.”
- “Let’s check if our deployment or monitoring processes are part of the problem.”
Product Manager:
- “These incidents are starting to affect how users see us. Let’s make sure we’re fixing things in a way that helps them.”
- “We need to balance fixing these issues with our broader goals. How can we do that best?”
Sample Roleplay in Action
Incident Leader:
“Thanks for being here. We’ve had a few too many incidents with [Core System]. Let’s figure out why they keep happening and come up with a plan that’ll work long term.”
On-Call Engineer:
“I’ve noticed these incidents usually happen after updates in [specific module]. I’m thinking maybe our integration tests aren’t catching everything.”
Senior Engineer:
“That’s worth looking into. We might need to beef up our testing and review our pipeline for weak spots.”
Product Manager:
“I’m worried about how this is affecting our users. We need to make sure our fixes align with what we’re trying to achieve and manage expectations.”
Incident Leader:
“Let’s map out what these incidents have in common and see where our processes might be falling short. We should look to improve our testing and monitoring.”
On-Call Engineer:
“I can put together a plan to expand our tests and automate more checks.”
Senior Engineer:
“I’ll review our architecture to see if there are changes we can make to prevent these issues.”
Product Manager:
“I’ll make sure any changes fit our strategic goals and keep everyone updated.”
Incident Leader:
“Great, let’s touch base next week to review our plans and get moving. Thanks for your input, everyone.”
Post-Scenario Tools
Curveball Mode (Optional)
Introduce one of these challenges during the roleplay to see how participants handle unexpected situations:
- A new incident happens during your discussion, adding pressure.
- Stakeholders push for quick fixes, conflicting with long-term goals.
- Technical constraints make some solutions hard to implement.
Reflection Checklist
As the Incident Leader:
- Did you guide the conversation towards lasting solutions?
- Did everyone have a chance to contribute?
- Did you help the team decide on concrete next steps?
As a Participant:
- Did you share your insights clearly?
- Did you suggest practical solutions?
- Did you balance technical needs with business priorities?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on quick fixes without addressing the real problem
- Ignoring stakeholder concerns or business impact
- Letting the conversation drift without action items
Pro Tip
Solving systemic issues takes teamwork and foresight. Encourage different viewpoints and aim for solutions that work technically and meet business goals.