Aslak Wegner Eide, Ida Maria Haugstveit, Ragnhild Halvorsrud, & María Borén. (2013). Inter-organizational collaboration structures during emergency response: A case study. In J. Geldermann and T. Müller S. Fortier F. F. T. Comes (Ed.), ISCRAM 2013 Conference Proceedings – 10th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 94–104). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: This paper examines the problem of achieving efficient inter-organizational collaboration during emergency response. The authors interviewed 11 representatives from Norwegian emergency agencies and supporting organizations about a hypothetical scenario involving a large-scale chemical incident. The interviews resulted in the identification and categorization of more than 45 actors that would be involved in the response effort, clarification of the individual capabilities and knowledge those actors would possess, and descriptions of how they would interact and communicate with each other. The results illustrate the complexity and necessity of achieving inter-organizational collaboration by showing how capabilities and knowledge are distributed and communicated across different actors, and suggest that such communications are mainly verbal. Based on this, the paper discusses challenges and opportunities for improving inter-organizational collaboration in the future.
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Fahd Bin Malek Newaz, Aslak Wegner Eide, & Antoine Pultier. (2015). Supporting first responder in-field communication and navigation using head-mounted displays. In L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), ISCRAM 2015 Conference Proceedings ? 12th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: This paper explores the added-value of using interactive head-mounted displays to support command and control of first responders during emergency response. Specifically, it describes and evaluates a prototype system that makes use of Google Glass to enable in-field receiving of information from a command center, as well as in-field navigation and video streaming. The viability and usefulness of the concept was evaluated through a set of end-user workshops and interviews. A small-scale experiment was also conducted to assess the efficiency of using head-mounted displays for in-field navigation, as compared to handheld devices. Findings from workshops and interviews suggest that head-mounted displays could be a valuable supplement to radio communication, with potential for reducing information misinterpretation, and for enhancing information quality. Results from the experiment indicate that head-mounted displays have the same level of efficiency as handheld devices when used for basic navigation tasks.
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Ida Maria Haugstveit, Eivind Lars Rake, & Aslak Wegner Eide. (2015). Practitioner-Centered, Long-Term Testing of an ICT-based Triage System for Emergency Management. In L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), ISCRAM 2015 Conference Proceedings ? 12th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: Triage in emergency response refers to determining the priority of victims based on their need for treatment and medical intervention. Today, triage is performed by the use of paper-based triage tags. Communication about patients? status is mainly carried out over radio or through handwritten notes. This practice makes it challenging for emergency personnel to keep an overview of the number, location, and medical status of victims, and to distribute information between personnel. Although technological solutions to ease the triage process exist, the methods used to test these solutions are somewhat limited. This paper reports our plans and preparations for a practitioner-centered, long-term testing of an ICT-based triage system. The system uses electronic devices to tag patients and communicate their status to relevant incident operators, providing a common operational picture for both on- and off-site personnel. The technologies (eTriage and Master) that are to be used during the testing are presented.
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Michael E. Stiso, Aslak Wegner Eide, & Antoine Pultier. (2015). A foray into the use of serious games in controlled research on crisis management. In L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), ISCRAM 2015 Conference Proceedings ? 12th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: Controlled experiments on crisis management could provide many insights into the human factors that lead to effective performance in the area. However, the challenge of establishing a controlled environment directly relevant to the chaotic settings in which crisis management occurs means that such experiments are scarce. Here, we describe our attempt to use a videogame (ARMA III) as a realistic but controllable environment for research in this domain. We successfully developed a testbed linking the game world to the front-end of a prototype command-and-control system, so that one can use the latter to monitor events in the former. However, when it came to developing controlled scenarios for the experiment, we discovered that too much realism can be a problem. This paper outlines the challenges we encountered and provides recommendations for researchers and game designers interested in the use of serious games in scientific research.
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Michael E. Stiso, Aslak Wegner Eide, Ragnhild Halvorsrud, Erik G. Nilsson, & Jan Håvard Skjetne. (2013). Building a flexible common operational picture to support situation awareness in crisis management. In J. Geldermann and T. Müller S. Fortier F. F. T. Comes (Ed.), ISCRAM 2013 Conference Proceedings – 10th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 220–229). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: Decision support systems for emergency management tend to focus on making a lot of data meaningful to particular users via a common operational picture (COP). This paper describes one such system, but one that goes further by making the COP flexible enough to support multiple users. Large crises involve frequent role switching between different actors in a response. Hence, predicting the support needs of a given user of a COP is difficult at best, complicating the design process. The solution described here is to use interactive information overlays to enable different users to fit the COP to their particular SA needs. The design was evaluated in two user workshops and a demonstration. In general, it was well-received, but domain experts cautioned that the tool must be usable not only in large crises but in everyday operations, or else it will not be used.
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