How DPALC Canada Uses InfoRange® to Train Public Affairs Officers

Realistic simulation: An information officer trains for digital dynamics within the secure InfoRange® learning environment. (Stock image created with Google AI)

InfoRange® in the training of Public Affairs Officers at DPALC Canada

How do you prepare Public Affairs Officers for a dynamic information environment when traditional training tools can only go so far? That was the challenge facing the Defence Public Affairs Learning Centre (DPALC) Canada.

Since 2020, the organization has been using InfoRange® to train Public Affairs Officers in the digital information environment in a practical, controlled, and repeatable way.

The challenge: limited realism in training

Before the platform was introduced, realistic training was only possible to a limited extent. Conventional training methods could not reliably reflect the speed or complexity of modern information environments.

In situations where social media, digital publications, and rapidly evolving public narratives play a role, theoretical instruction alone was not enough. Key skills could be taught, but they could only be practiced to a limited degree under credible exercise conditions.

A protected simulation environment for training

With InfoRange®, DPALC gained a protected simulation and training environment in which social media and digital news landscapes can be realistically replicated.

This makes it possible to create exercise scenarios in which participants can train to generate effects in the information environment under controlled conditions, without relying on open platforms or improvised stand-alone solutions.

At DPALC, the platform is used for both basic and advanced training formats. The team develops its own scenarios, runs multi-day exercises independently, and conducts its own evaluations afterward.

The solution is used by Exercise Control (EXCON), instructors, participants, and personnel responsible for observation and assessment. For the training organization, this is especially relevant because it allows not only individual training sequences, but the entire process from preparation through post-exercise review to be digitally supported.

High autonomy and adaptability in training Public Affairs Officers

A key advantage lies in the customer’s high level of independence. At the outset, the responsible users were trained in platform administration and operation, enabling DPALC to use the platform and its capabilities largely on its own going forward.

This creates independence in day-to-day training operations and supports the sustainable integration of the platform into existing course and exercise formats.

Another important factor is the platform’s ability to adapt to customer-specific requirements. In this case, that included language-related requirements as well as country-specific characteristics within the simulated environment.

In a defense context, that kind of adaptability is essential when training realism, audience relevance, and user acceptance all need to align.

Benefits for training Public Affairs Officers

The platform also delivers clear operational benefits. It reduces the workload on Exercise Control and training staff during preparation and execution because content, roles, posts, and scenarios can be created and adjusted efficiently.

This saves time and resources while also increasing flexibility in the planning of tailored training settings.

Technical reliability is equally important in exercise operations. During training activities, the platform performed consistently and supported smooth execution without technical issues that would have disrupted the training framework.

For training leaders and exercise planners, that level of reliability is a critical trust factor.

Key benefits at a glance

realistic training for Public Affairs Officers in the digital information environment
protected simulation environment for controlled and practical exercise scenarios
independent scenario development, execution, and evaluation by the customer
reduced workload for Exercise Control and training staff
adaptability to language and country-specific requirements
reliable technical performance in day-to-day exercise operations
sustainable integration into existing course and training formats

Conclusion

From the perspective of the exercise control the value is clear: training becomes more realistic, more digital, and more closely aligned with the real-world demands officers will face in service.

New Public Affairs Officers can prepare for their roles in the information environment under conditions that are both controlled and credible. At the same time, preparation, execution, and evaluation are supported in a structured digital framework.

The DPALC Canada case shows that InfoRange® is more than a technical tool. It is a proven capability for delivering realistic training in the digital information environment.

For defense organizations looking to modernize training, professionalize exercise operations, and prepare personnel for the demands of today’s information landscape, this use case provides a strong reference.

Would you like to learn more about how InfoRange® supports training organizations in the defense sector? We would be glad to show you how realistic scenarios in the digital information environment can be integrated into your training and exercise workflows.