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Blueprint Logo Blueprint: Building a MSEL

Overview

Blueprint is a web app that helps users create a Master Scenario Event List (MSEL) and events more easily. It lets users choose and define simulated entities, attacks, time frames, and regulators affected by the scenario. Users can view, edit, create, and approve events in the MSEL using Blueprint.

Blueprint makes it easier to build and view the MSEL compared to using an Excel spreadsheet. It also helps teams collaborate, even if they are from different teams. Blueprint can connect with Player, Gallery, CITE, and Steamfitter to help automate exercise setup.

For installation, refer to these GitHub repositories.

Configuration

Configure and deploy Blueprint using the Blueprint Helm Chart. The Helm Chart README provides detailed instructions for all deployment settings.

Classification Banner

Blueprint UI supports an optional, customizable classification banner that displays persistently at the top of the application. The banner can show classification labels (such as "UNCLASSIFIED" or "SECRET"), maintenance messages, or any other persistent notification. Configure the banner through HeaderBarSettings in the Helm chart. See the Classification Banner section of the Blueprint Helm Chart README for configuration details.

Permissions and Roles

To use Blueprint, a System Admin must assign Content Developer permissions to the user and add them to a team.

There are three levels of permissions in Blueprint that affect the way a user interacts with the Blueprint application and collaborates on the MSEL creation.

  • System Admin: Can add users to a team, as well as assign the required permissions to users. Additionally, users with this permission can view, edit, create, and approve events on the MSEL.
  • Content Developer: Can view, edit, create, and approve events on the MSEL.
  • Facilitator: Manages the exercise, can advance moves, execute events, and check events as completed.

Most users will have the Content Developer permission, because it is the minimum required permission to create and collaborate with other teams on MSEL creation.

Refer to the Administrator Guide for more information on additional administrative actions.

Administrator Guide

Blueprint administrators use the Administration View to manage users and units, and to configure organization, Gallery card, CITE action, and CITE role templates for content developers building MSELs.

Administration View

Across the Crucible exercise applications, the Administration View is where privileged users configure the platform and control access. It includes user and team management, role and permission assignment, and setup and maintenance of app-specific templates and content. The Administration View is where admins prepare and manage the environment so events run smoothly for participants.

Accessing the Administration View is the same in all Crucible exercise applications: expand the dropdown next to your username in the top-right corner and select Administration.

The Administration dropdown in the top right-corner

Units

The Units page lists all the units in Blueprint. A unit is an organizational entity, such as a team, department, or agency, that groups users for exercise purposes. Administrators can add, edit, and delete units, and assign users to their respective units.

Blueprint Units administration page showing several units with edit and delete icons

Add a Unit
  1. Expand the dropdown next to your username in the top-right corner and select Administration.
  2. Under Units, click + (Add Unit).
  3. In Name, enter the unit name (for example, Carnegie Mellon University).
  4. In Short Name, enter a short name or acronym (for example, CMU).
  5. Click Save.
Edit, Delete, and Search for a Unit
  • Edit: Click Edit (pencil icon) next to the unit, make the desired changes, and click Save.
  • Delete: Click Delete (trash can icon) next to the unit.
  • Search: In the Search field, enter the name of the unit.
Add/Remove Users from a Unit

To add a user to a unit:

  1. Click the unit row to expand its configuration.
  2. Under All Users, find the user and click Add User.

To remove a user from a unit, under Unit Users, find the user and click Remove.

Blueprint Units page with unit expanded showing Users and Unit Members panels

Data Fields

The Data Fields page lists all data field templates available for use in MSEL scenario events. Data fields define the columns that appear on a MSEL - similar to column headers in a spreadsheet. The Info and Facil checkboxes control whether the field displays for information events and facilitation events, respectively. Content developers can pull these templates into a MSEL from the Data Fields tab.

Add a Data Field Template
  1. Under Data Fields, click + (Add a template data field).
  2. In Name, enter the field name (for example, Delivery Method).
  3. In Data Type, select the data type. Available types: Boolean, Card, Checkbox, Competency, Datetime, Double, HTML, Integer, IpAddress, Move, Network, Organization, SourceType, Status, String, Team, TeamsMultiple, Url, User. See Data Value Checks for the values IpAddress, Network, and Datetime fields accept.
  4. Check Use Option List to provide a predefined list of selectable values for the field (for example, Low, Medium, High).
  5. Click Save.
Edit, Delete, and Search for a Data Field Template
  • Edit: Click Edit (pencil icon) next to the field, make the desired changes, and click Save.
  • Delete: Click Delete (trash can icon) next to the field.
  • Search: In the Search field, enter the name of the data field template.

Inject Types

The Inject Types page lists all inject type templates available for use in MSELs. An inject type defines the structure and data fields for a category of scenario events.

Add an Inject Type
  1. Under Inject Types, click + (Add Inject Type).
  2. In Name, enter the inject type name (for example, Email).
  3. In Description, enter a brief description (for example, Email-based scenario events).
  4. Click Save.
Edit, Delete, and Search for an Inject Type
  • Edit: Click Edit (pencil icon) next to the inject type, make the desired changes, and click Save.
  • Delete: Click Delete (trash can icon) next to the inject type.
  • Search: In the Search field, enter the name of the inject type.

Catalogs

The Catalogs page lists all catalog templates available for use in MSELs. A catalog is a reusable collection of scenario events associated with a specific inject type.

Add a Catalog
  1. Under Catalogs, click + (Add Catalog).
  2. In Name, enter the catalog name.
  3. In Description, enter a brief description.
  4. In Inject Type, select the inject type for this catalog.
  5. Check Is a Public Catalog to make the catalog available to all users.
  6. Under Data Fields to Show on Inject List, check the fields to display.
  7. Click Save.
Edit, Delete, and Search for a Catalog
  • Edit: Click Edit (pencil icon) next to the catalog, make the desired changes, and click Save.
  • Delete: Click Delete (trash can icon) next to the catalog.
  • Search: In the Search field, enter the name of the catalog.

Organizations

The Organizations page lists all organization templates available for use in MSELs. An organization template defines a reusable entity - such as a government agency, company, or media outlet - that can be added to MSEL events. Content developers can pull these templates into a MSEL from the Organizations tab.

Add an Organization Template
  1. Under Organizations, click + (Add Organization Template).
  2. In Long Name, enter the full organization name (for example, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency).
  3. In Short Name, enter a short name or acronym (for example, CISA).
  4. In Summary, enter a brief description (for example, Security agency).
  5. In Email, enter the organization's email address (for example, john@cisa.gov).
  6. In Description, enter the full organization description.
  7. Click Save.
Edit, Delete, and Search for an Organization Template
  • Edit: Click Edit (pencil icon) next to the organization template, make the desired changes, and click Save.
  • Delete: Click Delete (trash can icon) next to the organization template.
  • Search: In the Search field, enter the name of the organization template.

The Gallery Cards page lists all Gallery card templates available for use in MSELs. A Gallery card template defines a reusable card category that can be pushed to Gallery during an exercise. Content developers can pull these templates into a MSEL from the Gallery Cards tab.

  1. Under Gallery Cards, click + (Add Gallery Card Template).
  2. In Name, enter the card name (for example, Information Technology Sector).
  3. In Card Description, enter a brief description (for example, Status of the Information Technology Sector).
  4. Click Save.
  • Edit: Click Edit (pencil icon) next to the card template, make the desired changes, and click Save.
  • Delete: Click Delete (trash can icon) next to the card template.
  • Search: In the Search field, enter the name of the card template.

CITE Actions

The CITE Actions page lists all CITE action templates available for use in MSELs. A CITE action template defines a reusable task that teams complete during an exercise. Content developers can pull these templates into a MSEL from the CITE Actions tab.

Add a CITE Action Template
  1. Under CITE Actions, click + (Add CITE Action Template).
  2. In Description of the Action, enter the action description (for example, Score the incident).
  3. Click Save.
Edit, Delete, and Search for a CITE Action Template
  • Edit: Click Edit (pencil icon) next to the action template, make the desired changes, and click Save.
  • Delete: Click Delete (trash can icon) next to the action template.
  • Search: In the Search field, enter the name of the action template.

CITE Duties

The CITE Duties page lists all CITE duty templates available for use in MSELs. A CITE duty template defines a reusable role or responsibility assigned to team members during an exercise. Content developers can pull these templates into a MSEL from the CITE Roles tab.

Add a CITE Duty Template
  1. Under CITE Duties, click + (Add CITE Duty Template).
  2. In Name, enter the duty name (for example, Reviewer).
  3. Click Save.
Edit, Delete, and Search for a CITE Duty Template
  • Edit: Click Edit (pencil icon) next to the duty template, make the desired changes, and click Save.
  • Delete: Click Delete (trash can icon) next to the duty template.
  • Search: In the Search field, enter the name of the duty template.

Users

The following image shows the Users Administration Page. Here, administrators can add and delete users. Additionally, administrators can assign the necessary permissions to each user.

The available permissions are:

  • System Admin: Can use all administration privileges on the Blueprint application.
  • Content Developer: Can view, edit, create, and approve events on the MSEL.

Blueprint Users Admin OE

Add a User

If the exercise administrator has granted the appropriate permissions, follow these steps to add a user.

Blueprint Add User OE

  1. Under the Users Administration View, click +.
  2. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
User ID GUID Unique ID for the user 9dd4e3d8-5098-4b0a-9216-697cda5553f8
User Name String User name identifier user-2

Click the Save icon (a user with a + sign), then select the permissions you want to assign by checking the boxes next to the user's name.

Delete a User

To delete a user, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Gear icon in the top-right corner.
  2. Under the Users Administration View, select the user you want to delete and click the Trash Can next to the user.
Search for a User

To search for a specific user, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Gear icon in the top-right corner.
  2. Under the Users Administration View, click the Search Bar and type the name of the desired user.

Roles

Groups

User Guide

Content developers use Blueprint to build and manage MSELs.

Event Dashboard

The Event Dashboard is Blueprint's homepage. It shows a card for each thing the current user can do: Join, Launch, Build, and Assess. Each card shows how many events it applies to. While data loads, an Initializing Data card is displayed with a progress spinner.

Below the mission cards, three cards describe what Blueprint does: Competency-Based Assessment, Collaborative Planning, and Hands-On and Tabletop Exercises. Click one to read more.

Join an Event

The Join card (Active Exercises) counts the in-progress events the user can join. Click Join Event to go to /join, which shows a card for each of those events with its name and description. A name or description too long for the card ends in an ellipsis; hover over it, or tab to it, to see it in full. Click Join on a card to open the event in Player. Join is a link, so it can also be opened in a new tab. When there is nothing to join, the card shows No active events available to join and cannot be clicked.

Start an Event

If the user can launch any template MSELs, the Launch card (Initiate New Missions) is shown. Click Start Event to go to /launch and choose a template to launch. Launching the event creates its teams in a new Player view and proceeds to Player.

Manage an Event

If the user holds the CreateMsels permission or is a contributor on any MSEL, the Build card (Design & Planning) is shown. Click Manage Events to go to /build, where the user can create, edit, delete, and open MSELs.

Assess an Event

If the user is a System Admin, or an Owner or Evaluator on any MSEL (a MSEL's creator counts as its Owner), the Assess card (Evaluation & Scoring) is shown, with the number of those MSELs that are running (Deployed). Click Assess Events to go to /assess, which shows a card for each running event the user can assess, with its name, description, and number of competencies. Click Assess on a card to open that event's Assessor View. An event with no competencies says No competencies to assess but still opens, because its Assessor View still shows the xAPI evidence and Checkbox data fields. When there is nothing to assess, the page shows No running events available to assess.

If the user can do none of these, a single No Access card is shown instead.

Player Manage Event Page

Note

Most invitation management now happens directly from the MSEL's Invitations tab in Blueprint. The Player Manage Event application described below is still used by participants after a launched event is running, but MSEL owners typically create and manage invitations in Blueprint before launch.

When a user starts an event (as described above), Blueprint adds a Manage Event application to the left side panel of the Player view. The Manage Event application lets the user change the event end time, end the event, and invite others to join.

Blueprint End Event OE

Launched Event User Invitations

To invite other users to the launched event, follow these steps:

Blueprint Launched Event Invites OE

  1. Navigate to the Manage Event application from Player's side panel.
  2. Click Invite Others.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.

Data Format Table

Field Data Type Description Example
Team Dropdown Text User's team SEI - Software Engineering Institute
Email Domain String User's email domain tied to the invitation @sei.cmu.edu
Expiration Date/Time Datetime Date/Time when the invitation should expire 04/20/2024 11:17:25
Maximum Number of Users Allowed to Use this Invitation Integer Number of users allowed to use the invitation 5
Can Invite Others to this team Boolean Allows new users to invite others to the exercise False

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Ending a Launched Event

To end an event, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Manage Event application from Player's side panel.
  2. Click End Event.
  3. On the confirmation screen, click Yes to successfully end the event.

MSEL Catalog

The MSEL Catalog shows created MSELs. Users can select a MSEL to work on, create a new one, and delete an existing one.

Blueprint MSEL Catalog

Create or Upload a MSEL

Two actions are available in the MSEL list table header:

  • Add blank MSEL (+ icon): creates a new MSEL with default settings. The new MSEL appears with status Pending and a description such as "Created from Default Settings by [username]".
  • Upload a new MSEL from a file (upload icon): choose Upload xlsx file or Upload JSON file, then select the file to create a new MSEL from its contents. A .json file is one exported with Download JSON file from a MSEL's row actions. Blueprint refuses a file that isn't valid JSON or isn't a Blueprint MSEL, and creates nothing.
JSON Import Report

After a JSON upload, Blueprint shows a report for the imported MSEL:

  • Imported: the number of Moves, Scenario Events, Cards, Teams, Data Fields, and Pages created.
  • Changed: what Blueprint adjusted to fit this Blueprint, such as a new name when a MSEL with the file's name already exists, a CITE scoring model or team type linked by name, team members that could not be imported, and which integrations are on.
  • Failed: steps that could not be completed, such as checking the scoring model in CITE, with what to do before pushing.

Click Open MSEL to open the new MSEL, or Close to stay on the MSEL list.

Filter Display

Use the filter options to narrow down MSELs shown in the catalog.

Types

Filter MSELs by categorization. Options are: All Types, Templates, and Not Templates.

Statuses

Filter MSELs by current status. Options are: All Statuses, Pending, Entered, Approved, Deployed, and Completed.

Note

The filter dropdown uses Completed (past tense). The MSEL Status dropdown on the Config tab (see Basic Information) uses Complete and also exposes Archived. Both names refer to the same lifecycle state; the filter simply does not expose Archived MSELs by default.

Search for a specific MSEL by name.

The MSEL list header also exposes:

  • Show only MSELs I own or have access to toggle (funnel icon with subtitle All MSELs / My MSELs): for admins, switches between viewing every MSEL and only MSELs the user owns or contributes to.
  • Administration gear: opens the Administration View (see Administrator Guide).

MSEL Row Actions

Each MSEL row in the catalog exposes four icon buttons in the first column:

  • Download (down-arrow icon): choose Download xlsx file or Download JSON file to export the MSEL. A .json export can be uploaded again with Upload JSON file.
  • Upload .xlsx file to [MSEL name] (up-arrow icon): replaces the MSEL's contents with data from the chosen file.
  • Delete [MSEL name] (trash can icon): permanently removes the MSEL and its associated data. Template MSELs cannot be deleted; the trash can is disabled for them.
  • Copy [MSEL name] (copy icon): duplicates the MSEL into a new, editable copy.

Click the MSEL's name (a link in the Name column) to open it for editing. The Description column shows one line of each description; hover over a shortened one to see it in full.

Important

When importing MSELs into Blueprint, verify that events and settings align with your preferences. Some fields may require reconfiguration after import.

MSEL Definition

After uploading or creating a MSEL, users can edit any information and add additional information to the MSEL. Users edit the same MSEL, instead of working on separate copies and sending edits to one person. This ensures everyone has the same version during the live scenario.

Basic Information

On this tab, users can edit and configure MSEL settings, as well as enable/disable integrations.

Blueprint Info Tab OE

To edit the MSEL's basic information and configuration, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Info tab.
  2. Ensure you are in the Config section.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.

Data Format Table

Field Data Type Description Example
Name String (max 70 characters) Name of the MSEL Hurricane Delta MSEL
Description String (max 600 characters) Details and/or characteristics of the MSEL Hurricane Delta Fort Myers Scenario
Is a Template Boolean Marks this MSEL as a reusable template for creating new MSELs. Template MSELs cannot be deleted. True
Set a Start Time Boolean When checked, exposes a Start Date / Time picker and schedules a specific start moment for the MSEL. When unchecked, the MSEL is open-ended. True
Start Date / Time Datetime Start date/time of the MSEL (only visible when Set a Start Time is checked). 09/10/2024 20:00:00
Duration (d / h / m) Integer × 3 End time relative to the start, expressed as days / hours / minutes. Click + to increment or type directly into each field. 1 d 12 h 00 m
Applications to Integrate Boolean checkboxes Enable any of: Player, Gallery, CITE, Steamfitter, Caster. Enabling an integration activates additional MSEL sidebar tabs for that app. Caster requires Player. Player: True, CITE: True
MSEL Status Dropdown MSEL lifecycle state: Pending, Entered, Approved, Complete, Archived. Blueprint sets Pushing and Pulling itself while it pushes or removes integrations, and Deployed once they are pushed; while the MSEL is in one of those, the dropdown is locked. Approved
Header Row Metadata (Height) Integer Height of the header row when exporting this MSEL to .xlsx. 30
Difficulty Rating Dropdown Metadata tag describing the exercise's difficulty. (per framework)
Exercise Purpose Dropdown Metadata tag describing why the exercise is being run. (per framework)
Exercise Mode Dropdown Metadata tag describing how the exercise is delivered. (per framework)
Subject String Free-text subject tags. incident response, network defense
Keywords String Searchable keyword tags. ransomware, financial services
Date Created Date (read-only) Date this MSEL was first saved. 2026-05-08
Created By String (read-only) Name of the user who created this MSEL. Admin User

To save Config-tab changes, click Save Changes at the top of the tab. Cancel Changes reverts unsaved edits. Both buttons are disabled until a change is made.

Direct-Access URLs

The Config tab exposes three copyable, shareable URLs. Each row shows a Copy (clipboard) button and a direct link.

  • Exercise View URL (http://<host>/msel/{mselId}/view): use this URL for direct read-only access to the Exercise MSEL (see Exercise View).
  • MSEL Starter URL (http://<host>/starter/?msel={mselId}): use this URL for direct access to edit the Scenario Events list in starter mode.
  • Assessor View URL (http://<host>/assess/?msel={mselId}): use this URL for direct access to the Assessor View (see Assessor View).

Associating Competencies with a MSEL

The Config tab includes a Competencies row that points the user at the MSEL's Competencies tab, where a competency framework can be attached to the MSEL.

Metadata

The Metadata block on the Config tab captures non-functional descriptors that help with searching and filtering MSEL catalogs: Difficulty Rating, Exercise Purpose, Exercise Mode, Subject (free text), and Keywords (free text).

Integrations

  • Gallery: Blueprint will add the collections, exhibits, cards, articles, teams, and users specified on the MSEL. To learn more about this integration, reference the Gallery section.
  • CITE: Blueprint will add the evaluation, moves, actions, roles, teams, and users specified on the MSEL. To learn more about this integration, reference the CITE section.
  • Player & Steamfitter: Blueprint will automate the adding of events specified on the MSEL, as well as configure exercise details in Player.
  • Caster: Blueprint will deploy the MSEL's virtual machine topology from a Caster directory into a new Caster workspace, with the VMs added to the Player view and its teams. To learn more about this integration, reference the Caster section.

MSEL Pages

Beyond the Config section, the Info tab is a container for user-authored notes pages. Click Add Page on the Info tab to create a new page; each page can be restricted to elevated users or exposed to every MSEL user.

Blueprint Notes Tab OE

To add MSEL notes, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Info tab.
  2. Click Add Page.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.

Data Format Table

Field Data Type Description Example
Page Name String Name of the Page Core Planning Group Notes
All MSEL users can view this page Boolean Enable other users who don't have elevated permissions to access this page True
Notes Rich Text Field to add page notes Next meeting is on 12/7 at 0800

After you've made your changes, click the checkmark to save the page.

Contributors

On this tab, users can add and assign contributor teams, as well as their respective roles related to the creation and management of the MSEL. Assigned teams can view and edit the MSEL.

Blueprint Contributors Tab OE

Add a Contributor

To add a contributor unit to the MSEL, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Contributors tab.
  2. Click Add a Contributor Unit, then select the unit you want to add.
  3. After selecting the unit, click the + button.
Remove a Contributor

To remove a contributor unit from the MSEL, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Contributors tab.
  2. Select the team you want to remove and click the - button.

Now that you've added the unit to the MSEL, members can view and edit it based on each unit member's role.

The available roles are:

  • Editor: Can edit the events assigned to them by the MSEL owner, but not other events. They cannot delete events or create new events.
  • Approver: Can view and edit the MSEL, and will have the added feature of approving a MSEL.
  • Move Editor: Can edit moves on the MSEL, as well as increment them during an exercise.
  • Owner: Owner of the MSEL, can view and edit the MSEL, as well as perform all of the functionalities that the MSEL provides (e.g., Add Teams, Add Integrations, Events).
  • Evaluator: Manages the exercise, can advance moves, execute events, and check events as completed.
  • Viewer: Can view the MSEL, but can't edit it.

Competencies

On the Competencies tab, MSEL owners attach a competency framework (defined in the Administration Competencies page) and select which work roles, tasks, and specific knowledge, skills, and abilities apply to the MSEL. Selected competencies can then be associated with teams and scenario events, enabling assessment during the Assessor View.

Select a Competency Framework
  1. Navigate to the Competencies tab.
  2. In Competency Framework, select a framework from the dropdown. If no frameworks appear, define one in the Administration Competencies page.
Add Competencies to the MSEL
  1. Expand the Add Competencies region.
  2. Browse work roles and competencies from the selected framework and select the items that apply to this MSEL.
View MSEL Competencies

Expand the MSEL Competencies region to see the table of competencies associated with the MSEL. Columns include ID, Type, Framework, Name, Teams, and Events. Use the search box to filter by name.

Teams

On this tab, users can add and assign teams as well as their respective roles during an event to the MSEL.

Blueprint Teams Tab OE

Add a Team

To add a team to the MSEL, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Teams tab.
  2. Click Add a Team, then select the team you want to add.
  3. After selecting the team, click the + button.
Remove a Team

To remove a team from the MSEL, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Teams tab.
  2. Select the team you want to remove and click the - button.

Click a team to expand its Team Members. Each member's Type is their CITE team role, which decides what they can do in CITE. Check Open Invite on a team to let any of its members invite others to it.

Data Fields

On this tab, users can add data fields used on the MSEL. Compare these data fields to the column fields on Excel spreadsheets.

Blueprint Data Fields Tab OE

There are two categories of Data Fields:

  • System Defined: Added by default in MSEL creation, since data fields under this category are essential for MSEL features to work.
  • User Defined: Added by the user on an as-needed basis.
Who Can Change Data Fields
What Who can change it
A user-defined data field and its option list Users with EditMsels, the MSEL's Owner (including its creator), and its Editors
The Move, Group, Execution Time, and Integration Target rows Users with EditMsels and the MSEL's Owner, because they are MSEL settings
Make a template from a data field The above, with ManageDataFields as well

For everyone else, including users with the Approver role, the tab is read-only. An Approver still edits and approves scenario events.

Add a Data Field

Blueprint Add Data Fields OE

To add a Data Field to the MSEL, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Data Fields tab.
  2. Click the + icon from the top left of the screen.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.

Data Format Table

Field Data Type Description Example
Display Order Integer Indicate the order of the data field 1
Name String Name of the data field Description
Data Type Dropdown Text Data type for the data field String
Use Option List Boolean Add options to select when adding an event True
Multi-select Boolean With Use Option List, allow more than one option to be selected False
Display on the Events list Boolean Display this data field on the Events list tab True
Display on the Exercise View Boolean Display this data field on the Exercise View tab True
Information Data Field Boolean Display this data field for information events True
Facilitation Data Field Boolean Display this data field for facilitation events True
Display on "Default" edit tab Boolean Display this data field on the Default tab of the event edit dialog True
Assessor View Boolean Display this data field on the Assessor View True
Display for Content Developers and MSEL Owners Only!!! Boolean Display this data field for users who are Content Developers or MSEL Owners only True
Gallery Article Parameter Dropdown Text If using the Gallery integration, select the Gallery parameter that aligns with the data field Description
Column Metadata (Width) Integer Width of the column when displayed 30
Cell Metadata (Color, Tint, Font-Weight) String Column color and font style (Red, 20%, bold)

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Data Value Checks

Blueprint checks the values typed into these data field types. A value chosen from an option list is not checked.

Data Type Accepts Example
IpAddress A single IPv4 or IPv6 address, without a prefix length 192.0.2.10, 2001:db8::10
Network A network in Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) form, with no host bits set. Blueprint suggests the corrected network when host bits are set. 10.1.0.0/24, 2001:db8::/48
Datetime A date and time chosen with the date picker 09/10/2024 20:00:00

An event with a value that fails its check shows the problem under the field and cannot be saved until it is fixed. A Datetime value that is not a date, such as the text left behind when a field's type is changed to Datetime, is shown as is and marked Not a date and time. IpAddress and Network columns sort by address rather than alphabetically.

Delete a Data Field

To delete a Data Field from the MSEL, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Data Fields tab.
  2. Select the data field you want to delete and click the Trash Can.
Edit a Data Field

To edit an existing Data Field, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Data Fields tab.
  2. Select the data field you wish to edit and click Edit to make any changes to the existing configurations.
  3. After making all necessary changes, click the checkmark to save them.
Search for a Data Field

To search for a specific Data Field, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Data Fields tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and add the name of the data field desired.

Organizations

On this tab, users add all related organizations (with their information) used on the MSEL and the live exercise. Users can create organizations from scratch or from a template.

Blueprint Organizations Tab OE

Add an Organization Card from Scratch

Blueprint Add Organization OE

To add an Organization Card from scratch, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Organizations tab.
  2. Click Add Organization.
  3. Select New Organization from the dropdown.
  4. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Name String Name of the organization Twitter
Short Name String Organization's short name, such as an acronym TW
Summary String Organization's short summary Social media platform
Email String Organization's email contact user@twitter.com
Description Rich Text Information, details, and characteristics of the organization Twitter is a micro-blogging and social networking service on which users post and interact with messages known as "tweets", owned by American company Twitter, Inc.

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Add an Organization Card from Template

To create an organization from a template, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Organizations tab.
  2. Click Add Organization.
  3. Select the template you want to use from the dropdown.
  4. Here, users can edit all necessary information to create a new organization.
  5. After modifying the desired details, click Save.
Edit an Organization

To edit an existing organization, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Organizations tab.
  2. Select the card you want to edit and click Edit next to the organization name.
  3. Here, users can edit all necessary information.
  4. Click Save.
Delete an Organization

To delete an organization, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Organizations tab.
  2. Select the card you want to delete and click the Trash Can next to the organization name.
Search for an Organization

To search for a specific organization, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Organizations tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and type the name of the desired organization.

Moves

On this tab, users can add all related exercise moves to the MSEL.

Blueprint Moves Tab OE

Add a Move

Blueprint Add Moves OE

To add a move, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Moves tab.
  2. Click the + icon.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Move Number Integer Designated number for the move 1
Start Date/Time Datetime Start date/time of the move real-time 11/20/2023, 09:00:00
Move Description String Information, details, and characteristics of the move Scene Setter
Situation Date/Time Datetime Start date/time of the move exercise-time 1/24/2024, 14:18:27
Situation Description Rich Text Information, details, and characteristics of the exercise Hurricane Delta has landed in Fort Myers

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Edit a Move

To edit the move's details, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Moves tab.
  2. Select the move you want to edit and click Edit for the corresponding move.
  3. Here, users can edit all desired details.
  4. Click Save.
Delete a Move

To delete a move from the MSEL, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Moves tab.
  2. Select the move you want to delete and click the Trash Can for the corresponding move.
Search for a Move

To search for a specific move, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Moves tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and type the name of the desired move.

Scenario Events

On this tab, users can add all related events to the MSEL.

Blueprint Events Tab OE

Add an Event

To add a new event, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Events tab.
  2. Click the Hamburger icon found on the top left.
  3. Click Add New Event.

On the Default tab, fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.

Blueprint Add Event OE

Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Control Number String Event control number, used to identify and categorize events ADMIN-1
Description String Information, details, and characteristics of the event STARTEX
Status Dropdown Text Approval status of the event used on the MSEL Approved
Time Datetime Start date/time of the move real-time 11/20/2023, 09:00:00
Move Dropdown Text Move number the event is part of 1
Group Integer Groups events within a move, often times executed within the same time range 1
Exercise Date Datetime Start date/time of the move exercise-time 1/24/2024, 14:18:27
Type String Source type for the event Email
Delivery Method Dropdown Text How is the event delivered to participants Email

If not already completed on the previous tab, fill the fields from the Advanced tab following the Data Format Table specifications. This tab focuses on the MSEL's metadata and style.

Blueprint Add Event Advanced OE

Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Exercise Date/Time Datetime Start date/time of the move exercise-time 1/24/2024, 14:18:27
Row Metadata Integer Defines the size of this event on the Events and Exercise View tabs 15,199,21,133

If the MSEL owner enabled Gallery integration, the user should verify that all fields on the Gallery tab are complete, following the Data Format Table specifications below. This tab includes the fields required for the Gallery integration to function properly.

Blueprint Add Event Gallery OE

Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Description String Information, details, and characteristics of the event STARTEX
Status Dropdown Text Approval status of the event used on the MSEL Approved
Move Dropdown Text Move number that the event is part of 1
Group Integer Groups events within a move, often times executed within the same time range 1
Exercise Date Datetime Start date/time of the move exercise-time 1/24/2024, 14:18:27
Delivery Method Dropdown Text How is the event delivered to participants Gallery
Title String Title of the event Bank Consortium Falls Victim to Ransomware Attack
From Org Dropdown Text Select the organization that sends this event CC News
To Org Dropdown Text Select the organization that receives this event All

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Add Color to an Event

To add a color to an existing event, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Events tab.
  2. Select the event you want to edit and click the Hamburger icon next to it.
  3. Hover over Highlight.
  4. Here, users can select the desired color.
Edit an Event

To edit the event's details, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Events tab.
  2. Select the event you want to edit and click the Hamburger icon next to it.
  3. Click Edit. The system opens the same edit component used when creating a new event.
  4. Make your changes, then click Save.
Delete an Event

To delete an event, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Events tab.
  2. Select the event you want to delete and click the Trash Can icon next to it.
Search for an Event

To search for a specific event, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Events tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and type the name of the desired event.

Exercise View

While the Events tab lets MSEL owners and content developers manage events, the Exercise View tab gives participants read-only access to track current and future events during an exercise.

Blueprint Exercise View OE

Assessor View

The Assessor View tab is where Evaluators watch a live exercise and rate the participating teams against the MSEL's competencies. Each scenario event shows the xAPI statements the exercise applications recorded for it, beside a competency assessment where the Evaluator rates each competency and submits the rating as an xAPI competency assertion. The MSEL's content is read-only here; the only values an Evaluator can change are Checkbox data fields.

The Assessor View is also available outside the MSEL editor via the Assessor View URL on the Config tab (/assess/?msel={mselId}).

Access
MSEL Role Access
Owner, Evaluator View the Assessor View and check or clear Checkbox data fields
Editor, Approver View the Assessor View

A MSEL's creator counts as its Owner. System Admins have full access to every MSEL's Assessor View. Users with no role on the MSEL see Access Denied.

Choose What Assessors See

The Assessor View shows only the columns the MSEL owner marks for it. If none are marked, it shows No data fields are marked as assessor-visible. On the Assessor View tab inside the MSEL, it points at the Data Fields tab. Opened from its Assessor View URL, it offers Open Data Fields to users who can change the data fields (EditMsels, the MSEL's creator, or an Owner or Editor), and tells anyone else to ask the MSEL owner.

To choose the Assessor View columns, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Data Fields tab.
  2. Check the Assessor View column for each data field the assessors should see. The Move, Group, Execution Time, and Integration Target rows control those columns the same way.

To give assessors competencies to rate, attach a framework and its competencies on the Competencies tab, then associate them with teams and scenario events. The rating levels come from the framework's default proficiency scale.

Review xAPI Evidence

Events are grouped under their move and group. Click a move, group, or event row to expand it. Use Expand All (Ctrl+Shift+E) and Collapse All (Ctrl+Shift+C) in the header to open or close every row.

An expanded row shows xAPI Evidence on the left: the statements recorded for that move, group, or event, with their time, platform, actor, team, verb, and object. Click a statement to see its JSON, or click Copy JSON to copy it. Narrow the list with the Team, Source (Blueprint, CITE, Steamfitter, Player, or Gallery), and Verb filters, and click Refresh xAPI statements to load new ones.

Click Search Events in the header to search the events and filter them by the values of their data fields.

Submit a Competency Assessment

The Competency Assessment panel on the right of an expanded row lists the competencies associated with that move, group, or event. To rate them, follow these steps:

  1. In Assess Team, select the team being assessed. Only teams associated with at least one of the listed competencies appear. When the evidence is filtered to a single team, that team is preselected.
  2. For each competency, select a Rating and optionally enter a Comment. Hover over the competency ID to see its name.
  3. Click Submit assertion to submit one rating, or Submit All to submit every rated competency.

Each submitted rating is marked Submitted. Blueprint records it in the Learning Record Store (LRS) as an xAPI statement with the asserted verb, so xAPI must be configured for Blueprint.

MSEL Playbook

The MSEL Playbook tab presents scenario events in a printable, page-at-a-time layout intended for offline reference by exercise controllers.

Each event page shows: Execution Time (absolute + offset), Move, Group, Integration Target, Control Number, Simulated Time, Status, Summary, From Org, To Org, Card Id, Source Type, Source Name, Delivery Method, and the Description with rendered rich-text content.

Pagination controls (Previous page, Next page, Items per page) appear at the top; the default is one event per page. Visual indicators mark the transition between moves.

Click Print MSEL Playbook to open the browser's print dialog with only the playbook content in the printable area.

Invitations

Users with Administrator, Content Developer, or designated MSEL contributor roles can create invitations from the Invitations tab. These invitations allow others to join or start the MSEL event.

You can specify email domains and a maximum number of users on the invitations. Invitations link to specific teams added to the MSEL. When users join the event using an invitation, the system assigns them to the corresponding team for the duration of the event.

Blueprint Invitations OE

Add an Invitation

Blueprint Add Invitations OE

To add a new invitation, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Invitations tab.
  2. Click Invite Others.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Team Dropdown Text Team tied to the invitation SEI - Software Engineering Institute
Email Domain String User's email domain @sei.cmu.edu
Expiration Date/Time Datetime Date and time when the invitation should expire 04/15/2024 15:12:03
Maximum Number of Users Allowed to Use this Invitation Integer Number of users that can use the invitation 5
Can Invite others to this Team Boolean Permission to add others to the team False
CITE Team Role Dropdown Text With CITE, the CITE team role people who join through this invitation get. Starts at Member. Contributor

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Edit an Invitation

To edit an invitation, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Invitations tab.
  2. Select the invitation you want to edit and click Edit. The system opens the same edit component used when creating a new invitation.
  3. Make your changes, then click Save.
Delete an Invitation

To delete an invitation, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Invitations tab.
  2. Select the invitation you want to delete and click the Trash Can next to it.
Search for an Invitation

To search for a specific invitation, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Invitations tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and type the name of the team tied to the invitation.

Integrations

Integrations with the following applications simplify configuration steps. This functionality eliminates the need to repeat the same steps in multiple applications.

CITE

If enabled, Blueprint can push MSEL information to the CITE application. When the MSEL owner enables CITE integration, additional tabs appear in the Blueprint side panel. The MSEL owner must configure the additional tabs to complete the integration. To enable full CITE integration, the MSEL owner must configure the following tabs:

Teams

Use the Teams tab to configure CITE settings for teams added to the MSEL. To do this, follow these steps.

First, assign a CITE Team Type to each team.

CITE Team Type OE

  1. Navigate to the Teams tab.
  2. Select the desired team and click Edit.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Team Email String Team's email contact seicmu@cmu.edu
CITE Team Type Dropdown Text Classifies the team within a certain type Individual Organization

After you've made all desired configurations, click Save.

Next, assign roles to each member of the team. To do this, follow these steps:

CITE Team Roles OE

  1. Navigate to the Teams tab.
  2. Select the desired team, and click it to expand its configurations.
  3. In each member's Type column, select their CITE team role.
CITE Team Roles

The Type list shows the team roles defined in CITE. Blueprint gives each member that role in CITE when it pushes the MSEL. CITE comes with these roles:

Role Can do in CITE
Owner View the team, answer, submit the team's score, and manage the team
Submitter View the team, answer, and submit the team's score
Contributor View the team and answer
Member View the team

A CITE administrator can add roles, such as one that can see or change the official score. Blueprint lists them once they exist.

Warning

A member whose Type is -- None (Member in CITE) -- gets the Member role in CITE, which can view the team but not answer. Give every participant who scores a role before pushing: for example, Submitter for the team's recorder and Contributor for the others.

People who join a team through an invitation get the invitation's CITE Team Role, which starts at Member. Set it to Contributor or Submitter on invitations for participants who score; a separate invitation for recorders can give them Submitter.

CITE Actions

On this tab, the MSEL owner can add CITE Actions to push from Blueprint. These actions allow team members to customize their response by tracking tasks during the exercise.

Blueprint CITE Actions OE

Add a CITE Action

Blueprint Add CITE Actions OE

To add a CITE Action, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Actions tab.
  2. Click the + icon.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Move Dropdown Text Select the move to display this action 0 - Hurricane Delta Scene Setter
Team Dropdown Text Select the team this action applies to Conference of State Bank Supervisors
Display Order Integer Indicates the order to display this action on the CITE Dashboard 1
Description of the Action String Information, details, and characteristics of the action Assign users to roles

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Edit a CITE Action

To edit the CITE Action's details, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Actions tab.
  2. Select the action you want to edit and click Edit next to it. The system opens the same edit component used when creating a new action.
  3. Make your changes, then click Save.
Delete a CITE Action

To delete a CITE Action, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Actions tab.
  2. Select the action you want to delete and click the Trash Can next to it.
Filter Actions by Team

To filter CITE Actions by teams, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Actions tab.
  2. On the Team dropdown, select the desired team to filter by.
Search for an Action

To search for a specific action, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Actions tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and type the name of the desired action.
CITE Roles

On this tab, the MSEL owner can add CITE Roles to push from Blueprint. These roles allow team members to customize their response by tracking their responsibilities during an exercise.

Blueprint CITE Roles OE

Add a CITE Role

Blueprint Add CITE Roles OE

To add a CITE role, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Roles tab.
  2. Click the + icon.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Name String Name of the role Team Leader
Team Dropdown Text Select the team this role applies to Conference of State Bank Supervisors

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Edit a CITE Role

To edit the CITE Role's details, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Roles tab.
  2. Select the role you want to edit and click Edit next to it. The system opens the same edit component used when creating a new role.
  3. Make your changes, then click Save.
Delete a CITE Role

To delete a CITE Role, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Roles tab.
  2. Select the role you want to delete and click the Trash Can next to it.
Filter Roles by Team

To filter Roles by team, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Roles tab.
  2. On the Team dropdown, select the desired team to filter by.
Search for a Role

To search for a specific role, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the CITE Roles tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and type the name of the desired role.

If enabled, Blueprint can push MSEL information to the Gallery application. When the MSEL owner enables Gallery integration, additional tabs appear in the Blueprint side panel. The MSEL owner must configure the additional tabs to complete the integration.

To enable full Gallery integration, the MSEL owner should configure the following tabs.

On the Data Fields tab, configure additional data fields to push MSEL information to Gallery.

Blueprint Data Fields Tab OE

The MSEL owner should add these fields:

Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Description String Information, details, and characteristics of the event STARTEX
Date Posted Datetime Posted date of the event 1/24/2024, 14:18:27
Delivery Method Dropdown Text How is the event delivered to participants Gallery
Name String Name of the event Common Operating Picture 1
From Org Dropdown Text Select the organization that sends this event CC News
To Org Dropdown Text Select the organization that receives this event All
Summary Rich Text Complete information and details of the event A ransomware attack affected Bank XYZ...
Card Dropdown Text Select the Gallery Card to categorize this event Information Technology Sector
Status Dropdown Text Approval status of the event used on the MSEL Approved
Source Type Dropdown Text Select where the event's details come from News
Source Name String Add the author of the event BBC News
Move Dropdown Text Move number that the event is part of 1
Group Integer Groups events within a move, often executed within the same time range 1
Url String Provide a URL if more information is necessary for participants to access www.bbcnews.com/ransomware-attack-xyzbank
Open in a New Tab Boolean Use this option to open the URL in a new tab True

After adding data fields, map each one to the appropriate Gallery field by selecting an option from the Gallery Article Parameter dropdown when adding or editing the field.

On the Scenario Events tab, a field mapped to the Status parameter offers Gallery's article statuses as a dropdown of colors: Gray, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red. These are the colors the article's card shows on the Gallery wall. Values from older MSELs that use Gallery's former status names show as the matching color.

On this tab, the MSEL owner can add Gallery Cards to push from Blueprint. These are the different cards in the Gallery Wall. You can also find articles related to that card here.

Blueprint Gallery Cards OE

Blueprint Add Gallery Cards OE

To add a Gallery card, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Gallery Cards tab.
  2. Click the + icon.
  3. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Name String Name of the Gallery card Energy Sector
Card Description String Information, details, and characteristics of the Gallery card The current state of the Energy Sector
Move Dropdown Text Select the move to display this Gallery card 0

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

To edit a Gallery card, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Gallery Cards tab.
  2. Select the card you want to edit and click Edit next to it. The system opens the same edit component used when creating a new card.
  3. Make your changes, then click Save.

To delete a Gallery card, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Gallery Cards tab.
  2. Select the card you want to delete and click the Trash Can next to it.

To search for a specific card, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Gallery Cards tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and type the name of the desired card.

Player

If enabled, Blueprint pushes MSEL information to the Player application. The system adds additional tabs to the Blueprint side panel, which the MSEL owner will need to configure.

To enable the full Player integration, configure the following tabs.

Player Apps

On the Player Apps tab, the MSEL owner can add configurations to push from Blueprint. These are the different applications accessible from the Player View.

Player Apps OE

Add a Player App

Blueprint Add Player App OE

To add a Player app, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Player Apps tab.
  2. Click the + icon.
  3. Select an app template from the provided list.
  4. Fill the fields as necessary following the Data Format Table specifications.
Data Format Table
Field Data Type Description Example
Name String Name of the application Chat
Url String URL of the application {vmUrl}/views/{playerViewId}
Icon Url String URL of the application's icon {galleryUrl}/assets/img/archive-blue.png
Embeddable Boolean Select whether to embed the app in Player's iFrame True
Load in Background Boolean Select whether the app should load in the background True
URL Parameters

You can add URL parameters to point to a specific CITE evaluation, Gallery exhibit, Player view, or other content. To do this, include the variables in braces when adding a new application. Consider using the following variables:

  • {citeEvaluationId}: Add this variable to the URL to point to a specific CITE evaluation.
  • {galleryExhibitId}: Add this variable to the URL to point to a specific Gallery exhibit.
  • {steamFitterScenarioId}: Add this variable to the URL to point to a specific Steamfitter scenario.
  • {playerViewId}: Add this variable to the URL to point to a specific Player view.
  • {casterWorkspaceId}: Add this variable to the URL to point to the Caster workspace the MSEL deployed.
  • {vmUrl}: Add this variable to the URL to point to the VM UI, for example {vmUrl}/views/{playerViewId}.

After you've added all desired configurations, click Save.

Edit a Player App

To edit a Player app, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Player Apps tab.
  2. Select the app you want to edit and click Edit next to it. The system opens the same edit component used when creating a new app.
  3. Make your changes, then click Save.
Delete a Player App

To delete a Player app, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Player Apps tab.
  2. Select the app you want to delete and click the Trash Can next to it.
Search for a Player App

To search for a specific app, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Player Apps tab.
  2. Click the Search Bar and type the name of the desired app.

Caster

If enabled, Blueprint deploys the MSEL's virtual machine topology through Caster. On push, Blueprint creates a workspace named blueprint-{mselId} in the chosen Caster directory, writes the Player view and team IDs into the workspace as Terraform variables, and plans and applies it. The VMs land in the MSEL's Player view, so the Caster integration requires the Player integration.

Choose the Caster Directory

The directory holds the Terraform template to deploy. To choose it, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Info tab.
  2. Under Applications to Integrate, check Player and Caster.
  3. In Directory, select the Caster directory, listed as project / directory.
  4. Click Save Changes.

The directory list comes from Caster, so the user choosing it needs access to Caster. Without it, Blueprint shows Caster directories could not be loaded. You need access to Caster to choose one.

After a push, the Workspace row shows the workspace Blueprint created. Click Open in Caster to open the Caster project that holds it.

Map Teams to the Template

Blueprint writes each Player team's ID to a Terraform variable named after the team: lower case, with spaces turned into underscores. A template that names its team variables differently can still be used by mapping each MSEL team to one of the template's variables.

To map a team, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Teams tab. The Topology Team column shows each team's variable.
  2. Click Edit next to the team, then select the template variable in Topology Team. Select By team name to go back to the variable the team's name gives.

Blueprint lists the string variables the template declares, except sensitive ones, ones the template already assigns, and the ones Blueprint writes itself: view_id, user_id, username, and the deprecated exercise_id.

The Teams tab warns when a team is mapped to a variable the template no longer declares, and when a template variable has no MSEL team. A variable with no MSEL team and no default in the template fails the Caster plan. If two teams end up with the same variable, the push fails and names the teams.

Give Participants the VMs

Participants reach the deployed VMs through the VM UI. Add a Player app whose URL uses {vmUrl}, for example {vmUrl}/views/{playerViewId}. Until the MSEL has one, the Info and Player Apps tabs warn that participants will not be able to reach the Caster VMs.

Push Integrations

After adding all of the MSEL information and performing all necessary configurations, you can push information from enabled integrations to their respective applications.

Blueprint Push Integrations OE

To push MSEL information to their respective applications, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Info tab.
  2. Click Push Integrations.

When Caster is enabled, Blueprint deploys the topology last, after the other integrations, because the Terraform apply can take a long time.

Remove Integrations

If desired, the MSEL owner can remove MSEL information after the enabled integrations have pushed it to their respective applications.

Blueprint Remove Integrations OE

To remove MSEL information from the applications, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Info tab.
  2. Click Remove Integrations.

When Caster is enabled, Blueprint destroys the Caster workspace first, while the Player view its VMs belong to still exists. If the destroy fails, Blueprint stops and keeps the other integrations, so Remove Integrations can be run again.

Glossary

This glossary defines key terms and concepts used in the Blueprint application.

Approver Role: Can view and edit the MSEL, but will have the added feature of approving a MSEL.

Assessor View: MSEL view used by Evaluators during an exercise to review xAPI evidence and submit competency ratings for teams. Directly accessible via the Assessor View URL on the Config tab.

Blueprint: Web application created to make the development of a MSEL and events easier.

Caster: Web application that deploys virtual machine topologies from Terraform templates organized in projects, directories, and workspaces.

Catalog: A reusable, named collection of scenario events associated with a specific inject type. Catalogs are defined in Administration → Catalogs and can be pulled into MSELs.

CITE: Web application that allows multiple participants from different organizations to evaluate, score, and comment on cyber incidents.

CITE Action: Series of steps to guide users on an appropriate course of action during an exercise.

CITE Team Role: What a team member can do in CITE: Owner, Submitter, Contributor, Member, or a role a CITE administrator adds. Set in each member's Type on the Teams tab and given to them in CITE when the MSEL is pushed. See CITE Team Roles.

CITE Role: Provide a set of responsibilities assigned to a user during an exercise.

Competency: A work role, task, knowledge, skill, or ability that comes from a competency framework and can be attached to a MSEL, a team, or a scenario event.

Competency Framework: A named collection of competencies (for example, NICE Framework) defined in Administration → Competencies and linked to a proficiency scale.

Content Developer Permission: Can view, edit, create, and approve events on the MSEL.

Data Fields: Structured components containing essential information about the event's characteristics, context, and implications.

Editor Role: Can edit the events assigned to them by the MSEL owner, but not other events. They cannot delete events or create new events.

Event Dashboard: Blueprint's homepage. Presents up to three cards (Join an Event, Start an Event, Manage an Event) tailored to the user's permissions.

Events: Specific scenario events or messages within the scenario that prompt users to implement designated actions.

Exercises: Structured and simulated activity designed to assess, train, or evaluate the capabilities, preparedness, and responses of individuals, teams, or organizations in dealing with various scenarios, especially emergencies or crises.

Evaluator Permission: Manages the exercise, can advance moves, execute events, and check events as completed.

Gallery: Web application where participants receive incident information.

Gallery Card: The Gallery wall displays Gallery cards. Each Gallery card represents an article category. Cards show a background color based on the most recent article's status and the number of unread articles. Content developers define cards within each Gallery collection.

Group: A named collection of users defined in Administration → Groups. Used for bulk permission management.

Inject Type: A named template describing the structure and data fields for a category of scenario events. Defined in Administration → Inject Types.

Move Editor: Can edit moves on the MSEL, as well as increment them during an exercise.

Moves: A defined period of time during an exercise, where exercise organizers distribute a series of events for users to discuss and assess current incident severity.

MSEL: (Master Scenario Events List) provides a timeline for all expected events, affiliated users and organizations during an exercise.

MSEL Playbook: A printable, paginated view of a MSEL's scenario events intended for use by exercise controllers.

Organizations: Entities within an exercise with defined roles, responsibilities, and functions.

Owner Role: Owner of the MSEL, can view and edit as well as perform all functionality that the MSEL provides (e.g., Add Teams, Add Integrations, Events).

Player: Centralized web interface where participants, teams, and administrators go to engage in a cyber event.

Player Apps: List of applications accessible from the same Player view.

Player View: These are the settings associated with building a view. You can edit, clone, and delete a view.

Proficiency Scale: A reusable, named set of performance levels (for example, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert) attached to a competency framework.

Steamfitter: Gives content developers the ability to create scenarios consisting of a series of scheduled tasks, manual tasks, and events which run against virtual machines during an event.

System Admin Permission: Can add users to a team, as well as assign the required permissions.

System Defined Data Fields: Added by default in MSEL creation, since data fields under this category are essential for MSEL features to work.

User Defined Data Fields: The user adds on an as-needed basis.

Viewer Role: Can view the MSEL, but can't do any edits to it.