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Ahmed Abdeltawab Abdelgawad, & Tina Comes. (2019). Evaluation Framework for the iTRACK Integrated System. In Z. Franco, J. J. González, & J. H. Canós (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management. Valencia, Spain: Iscram.
Abstract: Evaluation and testing are major steps in the development of any information system, particularly if it is to be used in high-risk contexts such as conflicts. While thus far there are various approaches for testing against technology requirements; usability or usefulness, there is a lack of a comprehensive evaluation framework that combines the three elements. The lack of such a framework and commonly agreed standards constitutes a barrier for innovation, and at the same time imposes risks to responders if the technology is introduced without proper testing. This paper aims to close this gap. Based on a reviewing of evaluation methods and measurement metrics, we design a comprehensive evaluation framework including common code quality testing metrics, usability testing methods, subjective usefulness questionnaires, and performance indicators. We demonstrate our approach by using the example of an integrated system for the safety and security of humanitarian missions, and we highlight how our approach allows measuring the system?s quality and usefulness.
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David Paulus, Kenny Meesters, & Bartel Van de Walle. (2018). Turning data into action: supporting humanitarian field workers with open data. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 1030–1039). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: In the aftermath of disasters, information is of the essence for humanitarian decision makers in the field. Their concrete information needs is highly context-influenced and often they find themselves unable to access the right information at the right time. We propose a novel ICT-based approach to address these information needs more accurately. First, we select a group of in-field decision makers and collect their concrete information needs in the disaster aftermath. We then review to what extent existing data and tools can already address these needs. We conclude that existing solutions fall short in meeting important information needs of the selected group. We describe the design of an information system prototype to address these gaps more accurately. We combine data of the International Aid Transparency Initiative and the Humanitarian Data Exchange to form the data-backend of our system. We describe our implementation approach and evaluation plan.
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Femke Mulder, & Kees Boersma. (2017). Linking up the last mile: how humanitarian power relations shape community e-resilience. In eds Aurélie Montarnal Matthieu Lauras Chihab Hanachi F. B. Tina Comes (Ed.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management (pp. 715–725). Albi, France: Iscram.
Abstract: In this paper we present a qualitative, social network based, power analysis of relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal. We examine how the interplay between humanitarian power relations and e-resilience influenced communities' ability to respond to the destruction brought about by the disaster. We focus in particular on how power dynamics affect online spaces and interactions at the hyper local level (or 'the last mile'). We explain how civic technology initiatives are affected by these power relationships and show how their efforts may reinforce social inequalities – or be sidelined – if power dynamics are not taken into consideration. However, on the basis of a case study based power analysis, we show that when civic technology initiatives do strategically engage with these dynamics, they have the potential to alter harmful power relations that limit community e-resilience.
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