Fiona Jennet McNeill, Diana Bental, Jeremy Bryans, Paolo Missier, & Jannetta Steyn. (2018). Informing decision makers: facilitating communication and trust for decision makers during crises. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 1133–1135). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: This paper describes our approach to facilitating automated data sharing during a crisis management scenario. There are a number of reasons why this is difficult, of which we are addressing two of the main ones. Firstly, data in different organisations (and organisations) is mismatched in that different terminology, structure, specificity and data formats are used, so automated comprehension of data is problematic. Secondly, is that it is hard to assess the trustworthiness of data from other organisations. We have developed data-matching and provenance-based solutions to these problems individually. In this paper, we discuss how best these approaches can be integrated so that decision makers can quickly and automatically be presented with data to match, or approximately match, their data needs, together with the right information for them to understand the quality and meaning of this data, and introduce the CEM-DIT (Communication for Emergency Management through Data Integration and Trust) system.
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Nitesh Bharosa, & Marijn Janssen. (2009). Reconsidering information management roles and capabilities in disaster response decision-making units. In S. J. J. Landgren (Ed.), ISCRAM 2009 – 6th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Boundary Spanning Initiatives and New Perspectives. Gothenburg: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: When disaster strikes, the emerging task environment requires relief agencies to transform from autonomous mono-disciplinary organizations into interdependent multidisciplinary decision-making units. Evaluation studies reveal that adaptation of information management to the changing task environment is difficult resulting in poor information quality, indicating information was incorrect, outdated or even unavailable to relief workers. In this paper, we adopt a theory-driven approach to develop a set of information management roles and dynamic capabilities for disaster management. Building on the principles of advance structuring and dynamic adjustment, we develop a set of roles and capabilities, which we illustrate and extend using two field studies in the Netherlands. By studying regional relief workers in action, we found that in tactical disaster response decisionmaking units, several information management roles are not addressed and that information managers are preoccupied with information gathering and reporting, whereas information quality assurance is not on the agenda.
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Stephen E. Hannestad. (2005). Incident command system: A developing national standard of incident management in the U.S. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 19–28). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: This paper is a critical examination of the U.S. Incident Command System (“ICS”) as an organizational structure and information gathering tool for emergency management from the perspective of a career emergency management officer who became a graduate student in information management following 35 years of public service. In addition to examining the ICS, and assessing its current weaknesses in the area of information management, the paper proposes a low-cost, COTS approach to automating the ICS information gathering and dissemination process.
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Willem J. Muhren, & Bartel A. Van De Walle. (2009). Sensemaking and information management in humanitarian disaster response: Observations from the TRIPLEX exercise. In S. J. J. Landgren (Ed.), ISCRAM 2009 – 6th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Boundary Spanning Initiatives and New Perspectives. Gothenburg: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system is designed to assist the United Nations in providing information during the first phase of a sudden-onset emergency and in the coordination of incoming international relief at the site of the emergency. In the immediate aftermath of such an emergency, the UNDAC team will set up an On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) from where the operational activities of the humanitarian organizations responding to the emergency are coordinated. Information management is a key aspect in this phase as the information gathering, processing, and disseminating activities will determine the timeliness and appropriateness of the response by the international humanitarian community. Through participatory observation in the international humanitarian “TRIPLEX” exercise we explore how information managers in the OSOCC make sense of the disaster, how the immediate needs are assessed, and discuss how information systems could improve Sensemaking in these activities.
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Aygul Gabdulkhakova, Birgitta König-Ries, Mareike Mähler, Yeliz Yildirim-Krannig, & Fabian Wucholt. (2011). Identifying and supporting information needs in mass casualty incidents – An interdisciplinary approach. In E. Portela L. S. M.A. Santos (Ed.), 8th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: From Early-Warning Systems to Preparedness and Training, ISCRAM 2011. Lisbon: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: In mass casualty incidents (MCIs) different authorities and organizations with safety responsibilities (BOS) act in highly dynamic situations. BOS operating in MCI-scenarios have a large demand of different information. SpeedUp, a German government-funded research project, wants to support this information demand. From an IT-perspective, our basic concept is to model available resources (e.g., sources of information and communicative devices) as services and flexibly combine them to the information demand of the BOS. To achieve this, we have to know which kind of information is needed by whom and explore the structures, tasks and roles of the BOS involved. In this paper we employed an interdisciplinary and user – centered approach. It is the result of a close cooperation of two research groups: one from the Intercultural Business Communication (IWK) and one from the chair of computer sciences. While the IWK focused on identifying information needs via expert interviews and observations, the computer scientists were looking at the possibilities for technical support of these needs. Only both disciplines together can achieve viable solutions.
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