Dennis Andersson, & Amy Rankin. (2012). Sharing mission experience in tactical organisations. In Z.Franco J. R. L. Rothkrantz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2012 Conference Proceedings – 9th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Vancouver, BC: Simon Fraser University.
Abstract: A tactical organisation can be seen as an adhocracy designed to perform missions in uncertain, ambiguous and complex environments. Flexibility, adaptability, resilience, innovation, creativity and improvisation have all been identified as key skills for successful outcome of these missions. To learn skills associated with such abilities previous research has shown that knowledge acquired through experience plays an important role. It is important that organisations share and learn from experiences to improve their ability to cope with novel situations. In literature there is a lack of consistency in how these abilities are discussed, we therefore propose the FAIRIC model. By unravelling some of the similarities and differences we create a common vocabulary to discuss knowledge gained from experience. This can help classify different experiences and provide a systematic way of gathering and modelling knowledge on situational factors to enable sharing of mission experience over boundaries of time and space. © 2012 ISCRAM.
|
John J. Robinson, Jim Maddock, & Kate Starbird. (2015). Examining the Role of Human and Technical Infrastructure during Emergency Response. 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: Infrastructures?both technical and human?are critical components of emergency response, helping to facilitate and shape both formal work practices and the improvisational work that individuals and organizations take part in as they address emergent challenges during unpredictable events. This research explores the relationships between infrastructure and collaborative work in this context, at a time when the infrastructures themselves are rapidly changing and/or under pressure to change due to the introduction of new technology. We interviewed 17 emergency workers from region that had recently experienced a major emergency response. These interviews illuminate weaknesses in some of the systems designed to support the information and communication needs of emergency workers, and demonstrate emergency workers assembling their own ICT infrastructures using familiar off-the-shelf tools like social media platforms and shared Google documents. These findings also highlight the importance of human infrastructure in supporting improvisation and collaboration among emergency workers.
|
Benedikt Ley, Volkmar Pipek, Christian Reuter, & Torben Wiedenhöefer. (2012). Supporting inter-organizational situation assessment in crisis management. In Z.Franco J. R. L. Rothkrantz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2012 Conference Proceedings – 9th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Vancouver, BC: Simon Fraser University.
Abstract: To assess current situation properly is crucial for effective decision-making in crisis management. However, gathering accurate information from incidence sites and providing appropriate support for assessment practices faces several challenges. The unique information demands of each crisis situation, the information availability or inter-organizational problems and obstacles to information exchange are important factors that need to be considered in designing ICT. In this contribution we present results from an empirical study about decision-making practices in scenarios of medium to large power outages in Germany. We focused on the needs and practices on information exchange at the level of inter-organizational cooperation. We examined the cooperation of fire departments, police, public administration, electricity infrastructure operators and citizens. Our empirical material reflects particularly conditions and challenges in current situation assessment practices, and we were able to derive design requirements for an inter-organizational situation assessment client as a complementary tool for existing crisis management infrastructures. © 2012 ISCRAM.
|
Lucia Castro Herrera. (2021). Configuring Social Media Listening Practices in Crisis Management. In Anouck Adrot, Rob Grace, Kathleen Moore, & Christopher W. Zobel (Eds.), ISCRAM 2021 Conference Proceedings – 18th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 640–654). Blacksburg, VA (USA): Virginia Tech.
Abstract: Social media listening practices are increasingly adopted in crisis management and have become an object of interest for researchers and practitioners alike. This article analyzes how these enactments have been studied in the academic literature. Through a systematic review of the available body of knowledge, features from studies involving depictions of practice were extracted, analyzed, and turned into a narrative using an inductive approach. Strategies of improvisation, overreliance on personal and professional networks, manual work, spontaneous coordination, and re-assigning tasks represent the main findings in the multidisciplinary literature. This article is a consolidated overview of experiences from social media listening in practice beyond listing the benefits of social media as a source of information. Moreover, the paper sets the basis for future studies on the range of possible configurations and institutionalization of disruptive crisis management practices.
|
Lucia Castro Herrera, & Terje Gjøsæter. (2022). Community Segmentation and Inclusive Social Media Listening. In Rob Grace, & Hossein Baharmand (Eds.), ISCRAM 2022 Conference Proceedings – 19th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 1012–1023). Tarbes, France.
Abstract: Social media analytics provide a generalized picture of situational awareness from the conversations happening among communities present in social media channels that are that are, or risk being affected by crises. The generalized nature of results from these analytics leaves underrepresented communities in the background. When considering social media analytics, concerns, sentiment, and needs are perceived as homogenous. However, offline, the community is diverse, often segmented by age group, occupation, or language, to name a few. Through our analysis of interviews from professionals using social media as a source of information in public service organizations, we argue that practitioners might not be perceiving this segmentation from the social media conversation. In addition, practitioners who are aware of this limitation, agree that there is room for improvement and resort to alternative mechanisms to understand, reach, and provide services to these communities in need. Thus, we analyze current perceptions and activities around segmentation and provide suggestions that could inform the design of social media analytics tools that support inclusive public services for all, including persons with disabilities and from other disadvantaged groups.
|
David Mendonça, Yao Hu, & Qing Gu. (2007). Cognitive-level support for improvisation in emergency response. In K. Nieuwenhuis P. B. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Intelligent Human Computer Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM 2007 Academic Proceedings Papers (pp. 489–496). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Improvisation-serial and purposeful creativity, exercised under time constraint-is an intensely cognitive endeavor. Accordingly, supporting improvisation requires an understanding of the underlying cognitive processes and an identification of opportunities for support. This paper reports on the development of cognitively-grounded computer-based support for improvisation in a simulated emergency response situation. The application is a computational model which attends to traces of group decision processes, analyzes them, and attempts to achieve fit between its own intentions and those of the group. The current architecture and functioning of the model are discussed, along with an overview of the simulation platform. Current and future workin the areas of model validation and evaluation is described. The results of this work strongly suggest that model-based support for improvisation is possible, but that for the time being will be restricted to synthetic situations, of the kind often used in training exercises.
|
David Mendonça, & Frank Fiedrich. (2004). Design for improvisation in computer-based emergency response systems. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2004 – 1st International Workshop on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 99–104). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: This paper explores the design of training environments in which emergency response professionals can use information technologies to train for responding to unplanned-for situations. This approach – designing for improvisation – is fundamentally different than designing for plan execution. In this paper, we identify three dimensions of this difference and outline a set of research questions that are intended to lead to a better understanding of the role of improvisation in emergency response, as well as how it can be trained for and supported. Both questions are intertwined, since without a firm understanding of how improvisation occurs it is difficult to train for and support it. © Proceedings ISCRAM 2004.
|
Zeno Franco, Nina Zumel, John Holman, Kathy Blau, & Larry E. Beutler. (2009). Evaluating the impact of improvisation on the incident command system: A modified single case study using the DDD simulator. 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: This study attempted to evaluate the utility of the Incident Command System (ICS) in varying disaster contexts. ICS is mandated in the United States and practitioners assert that it is an effective organizing system for emergency management. However, researchers contend that the utility of ICS is conflated with inter-team familiarity gained during ICS exercises. A military team-in-the-loop simulator was customized to represent the problems, resources, and command structures found in civilian led disaster management teams. A modified single case design drawn from behavioral psychology was used to explore possible casual relationships between changes team heterogeneity and performance. The design also allowed for the evaluation of improvisation on performance. Further, psychological factors that may underpin improvisation were explored. In addition to some preliminary empirical findings, the successes and difficulties in adapting the DDD simulator are briefly discussed as part of an effort to achieved greater interdisciplinary integration.
|