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B. Van de Walle, & Benny Carlé. (2005). Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The proceedings contain 49 papers. The topics discussed include: asynchronous negotiation and collaboration of software requirements for an emergency response information system: an empirical investigation; design considerations for information systems to support critical infrastructure management; incident command system: a developing national standard of incident management in the US; scaling-up support for emergency response organizations; shared use of information technology in emergency response work: results from a field experiment; learning and renewal following threat and crisis: the experience of a computer services firm in response to Y2K and 9/11; operational risk in incident management: a cross-fertilization between ISCRAM and IT governance; and airport security complexity : problems with the information system components.
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Ronja Addams-Moring, Markku Kekkonen, & Shushan Zhao. (2005). A simple taxonomy for mobile emergency announcement systems. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 309–316). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Mobile communications networks and devices can be and have been used by authorities to warn and instruct the general public during crises. However, our understanding of how mobile technologies could best be used for emergency announcements (public warnings) is currently limited. To clarify one part of this field of study, we define and describe a simple taxonomy for mobile emergency announcements (MEA) systems. The taxonomy has three categories: preplanned MEA systems, ad-hoc MEA systems and semi ad-hoc MEA systems. Differences in functional, security and other requirements were found between MEA systems belonging to different taxonomy categories, both concerning how each category of MEA systems can meet the common requirements, and concerning which requirements are the most important for each category of MEA systems. The differences between the categories were especially clear for these requirements: the understandability and credibility of the MEAs and the security of a MEA system.
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Gerd Van Den Eede, & Bartel A. Van De Walle. (2005). Operational risk in incident management: A cross-fertilisation between ISCRAM and IT governance. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 53–60). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The objectives of the research reported by the authors in this paper are threefold. First, the authors want to fine-tune the rresearch methodology on risk identification based on cognitive mapping techniques and group decision support systems (GDSS) developed earlier (Rutkowski et al., 2005). Second, the authors want to determine how High Reliability Theory (HRT) – through the characteristics of High Reliability Organisations (HROs) – can be applied in the particular organisational context of an important economic sector like banking. Third, the authors want to inquire into how Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management can benefit from experiences gained in a mainstream context. More specifically, the use of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) methodology will be explored from the perspective of Incident Management as a sub-process of ICT management.
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Ivan Boissières, & Eric Marsden. (2005). Organizational factors of robustness. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 117–122). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: In complex socio-technical systems, robustness is achieved through interaction between the technical structure of the system and the social and organizational structure of the operators who run the system. While the need for human oversight of complex systems is widely recognized, the impact of organizational factors on the effectiveness of the oversight function is not well understood. We have studied the social interactions between supervision and maintenance operators of the largest French telecom operator, using techniques from the sociology of organizations. Detailed analysis of the social network formed by these operators has allowed us to identify a number of factors that contribute positively or negatively to the robustness of the system.
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Catherine Lowry Campbell, Bartel A. Van De Walle, & Fadi P. Deek. (2005). Asynchronous negotiation and collaboration of software requirements for an emergency response information system: An empirical investigation. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 5–11). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Negotiation and collaboration during the requirements stage of the software engineering process are fundamental to developing successful software products. Groups of stakeholders work together to come to agreement on the most important requirements to be sent forward for implementation. Distributed software engineering is becoming the norm rather than the exception, yet the requirements elicitation and definition process is normally conducted face to face. This paper describes an empirical study to investigate the relationship between structured task and specified negotiation steps within an asynchronous environment. The results reveal that these structures can have a positive impact on solution quality but a negative impact on process satisfaction, although following a negotiation sequence and task structure can help asynchronous groups come to agreement faster. Details of the experimental procedures, statistical analysis, and discussion of the results of the experiment are presented, as are suggestions for improving this work and a plan for future research.
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Benny Carlé, Gerd Van Den Eede, Anne-Francoise Rutkowski, & Bartel A. Van De Walle. (2005). Post-tsunami crisis response and disaster recovery in Sri Lanka: Experiences from tilburg university student projects. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 281–282). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
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Emma Carter, & Simon French. (2005). Nuclear emergency management in Europe: A review of approaches to decision making. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 247–259). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The need for transparent and consistent decision making in nuclear emergency management across local, regional, national and international levels is well recognised. Several decision support systems have been developed to help achieve this; but, by and large, with little consultation with potential DMs and with limited understanding of the emergency management procedures across Europe and how they differ. This work, part of a European Fifth Framework project EVATECH, considers the application of process modelling to document and compare the emergency management process in four countries. We have observed that the four process models are substantially different in their organizational structure and identified differences in where decisions are made, the management of advice and the communication network style. This papers focus is on the results of the comparison and the implications for the design and use of decision support systems.
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Madhavi M. Chakrabarty, & David Mendonça. (2005). Design considerations for information systems to support critical infrastructure management. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 13–18). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: This paper develops a set of design considerations for information systems to support the management of interdependent critical infrastructure systems. Constraints on how these systems are managed are oriented along technical, political and organizational dimensions, though objectives along these dimensions may conflict and thus be difficult to satisfy. This paper harnesses methodologies from software engineering and cognitive science in order to specify opportunities for using information systems to support human-centered management of critical infrastructure systems. The particular focus of this work is on developing information systems to support visualization and visual problem solving. Progress to date is discussed in terms of an ongoing research project which uses as a test-bed data associated with lower Manhattan (New York, USA).
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Suthep Chutiratanaphun, Rungsaridh Boonsin, Parida Kuneepong, & Julalux Suttirod. (2005). Land use / land cover change by tsunami 2004 in Thailand: A case study at phi phi Island, Krabi Province and Ban Num Kem Village, Pang Nga Province. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 301–303). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Aerial photo interpretation were utilized for monitoring land cover changes with emphasis on tsunami ravaged coastal regions in Phi Phi Island, Krabi Province and Ban Num Kem, Bang Muang, Pang Nga Province areas in the southern peninsula Thailand. All of the images acquired after the Dec 26/2004 tsunami hit, were analyzed and results were compared to image taken before to address the tsunami-affected communities' details. Results of interpretation show different land cover changes in different areas due to the former land cover/land use. It was also showed that aerial photo interpretation data are capable of identification on devastated areas with a high level of accuracy at scale of 1:25, 000. Special attention is given to a few examples of Ban Num Kem village in Takuepa District, Pang Nga Province and Phi Phi Island, Krabi Province.
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Marline Claessens, Nicolas Lewyckyj, Jane Biesemans, & Jurgen Everaerts. (2005). Pegasus, a UAV project for disaster management. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 233–236). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The Flemish Institute for Technological Research (Vito) in Belgium has initiated in 2000 the PEGASUS (Policy support for European Governments by Acquisition of information from Satellite and UAV-borne Sensors) project which envisages the development of a solar powered UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) containing several types of instruments for remote sensing and flying at an altitude of about 20 km. The aircraft can be deployed rapidly in crisis situations and provide disaster managers with ~1 m resolution images (or better if required) of the affected area. High quality data shall be received in less than half an hour from a mobile ground station that is in direct contact with the UAV, which can operate as long as requested by the user. The PEGASUS HALE-UAV is a flexible and cost-effective tool that will allow officials and local authorities to dispose quickly over relevant geographical information in an emergency situation. The first demonstration flight of the PEGASUS HALE-UAV shall take place in the summer of 2005 over Flanders.
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Erman Coskun, & Jessica Hoey. (2005). Airport security complexity: Problems with the information system components. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 61–66). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Airport security is a very relevant, diverse, and complex system in any country. September 11th made this issue an increasing concern for almost every country in the world. Prior to September 11th the media, watchdog groups, and commissions established by the United States Congress, were adamant that airport security had major flaws. Currently many countries are revamping their airport security systems. The U.S. and other governments are implementing many new systems and procedures. There are numerous potential pitfalls with this implementation process and these new systems will have impacts on the public. For example, these systems could reduce freedom, still be flawed, and affect the economy. The primary intents of this paper are to classify airport security as a complex large-scale safety-critical system, to discuss what make airports so complex, describe the information systems that are involved with such systems, and discuss the impacts on the people involved.
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Martine Couturier, & Edith Wilkinson. (2005). Open advanced system for improved crisis management (OASIS). In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 283–286). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The OASIS Project addresses the Strategic objective 2.3.2.9, “Improving Risk Management”, of the second call for tender of the European Commission FP6 Information Society Technologies program. The objective of OASIS is to define and develop an Information Technology (IT) framework based on an open and flexible architecture and using standards that will be the basis of a European Emergency Management system. OASIS is intended to facilitate the cooperation between the information systems used by civil protection organisations, in a local, regional, national or international environment. This Disaster and Emergency Management system aims to support the response operations in the case of large scale as well as local emergencies.
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Sébastien Delhay, Mahamadou Idrissa, & Vinciane Lacroix. (2005). PARADIS: GIS tools for humanitarian demining. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 213–219). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Landmines and UXO (UneXploded Ordnance1) represent a constant and long-lasting threat to the life of millions of individuals. Moreover, these weapons have a strong socio-economic impact on contaminated countries as they involve serious effects as the loss of agricultural fields or access to water. Demining is a critical issue since contaminated areas are large and their clearance often requires investing much time and money into it. It is then fundamental to manage demining activities in an efficient manner. PARADIS 2 is a tool dedicated to Mine Action and helps demining campaigns planners take rational decisions. It fits the needs of all campaign actors, as it is based on the tasks assigned to both the campaign planner and the field operator. The tool is built upon GIS technology and uses satellite imagery as a substitute for background maps, in order to represent all data involved in demining in their most explicit form: a map.
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Gary Eifried. (2005). A model describing a response to a terrorism incident. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 125–127). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Understanding how the response to an incident of terrorism involving a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) transpires is essential to understanding the necessary flow of information within that response. A model describing incident response functions overlaid on a realistic timeline is presented.
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Klaus Granica, Thomas Nagler, Markus M. Eisl, Mathias Schardt, & Helmut Rott. (2005). Satellite remote sensing data for an alpine related disaster management GIS. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 221–232). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Natural disasters are an age-old problem that occur regularly in alpine regions, posing a major threat to the safety of settlements and transport routes. Within the project “Safety of Alpine Routes – Application of Earth Observation Combined with GIS (Hannibal)”, financed by the Ministry of Transport and Innovation, information relevant for disaster management has been extracted from satellite remote sensing and integrated into a newly developed GIS based Decision Support System (DSS). Some of the required map information were inferred from ERS- or from SPOT5- and QUICKBIRD satellites, others were taken from conventional data sources such as maps or Digital Terrain Models.
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Tim J. Grant. (2005). Integrating sensemaking and response using planning operator induction. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 89–96). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Emergency response managers often try to prepare plans in advance of foreseeable crises. However, pre-prepared plans almost never fit the precise situation when an actual crisis arises. This paper focuses on what can be done once the plan has been found to be a mismatch with the actual situation, and particularly on sensemaking and its integration into generating a response to a crisis situation. This paper proposes planning operator induction as a suitable technique. The Air Traffic Control and military air defence situation over the continental US on September 11, 2001, serves as the illustrative application. Since the paper reports research in progress, it closes by outlining the additional functionality that will have to be added to the existing POI implementation to produce a sensemaking tool.
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Qing Gu, & David Mendonça. (2005). Patterns of group information-seeking in a simulated emergency response environment. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 109–116). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Groups in emergency response environment may be confronted with problems that cannot be solved by following predefined procedures. They must therefore engage in a collective search for relevant information, cooperating and collaborating as they move towards the deadline. Information technologies and expertise may help shape group information seeking and determine its effectiveness. By understanding how response personnel search for information in emergencies and extending the findings to determine demands on information systems, we may begin to understand how to support and train for skillful information seeking in emergency situations. Accordingly, this research evaluates the impact of decision support systems and member expertise on group information-seeking behavior in a simulated emergency response environment. The results of the evaluation are then used to identify how information technologies may further support information seeking in emergency response.
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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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Mark Hoogendoorn, Catholijn M. Jonker, Viara Popova, Alexei Sharpanskykh, & Lai Xu. (2005). Formal modelling and comparing of disaster plans. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 97–100). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Every municipality in The Netherlands has its own disaster plan. A disaster plan contains the blueprint of how to handle incidents in the municipality with the aim of preventing incidents to grow into disasters. Given that each municipality has its own organisations, enterprises, infrastructure, and general layout, the disaster plans also differ. On the other hand, the disaster plans have a lot in common. Some municipalities use a common starting point, others develop their own disaster plan from scratch. In this paper two independently developed disaster plan are compared using formal modelling techniques. The analysis reveals that some interesting differences do not stem from a difference in the makings of the municipality. These differences touch the fundamentals of the communication during incident management, and might well have a critical impact in dealing with pending disasters.
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Murray E. Jennex. (2005). Informal early warning systems, the utility Y2K experience. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 287–289). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The 2004 tsunami has generated a call for a global early warning system. Political issues may prevent this from occurring soon or at all. This paper explores previous experience with informal early warning systems from the Year 2000, Y2K, rollover. Informal early warning systems, IEWS, are cooperative systems formed outside of direct government control, usually from nonprofit or industry organizations. The two discussed utility Y2K IEWS were formed through an industry group and within a single multinational corporation. The paper concludes with lessons learned from the design and implementation of these systems.
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George N. Kelly. (2005). Emergency management in Europe – Contribution of euratom research. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 261–267). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: This paper summarises the contribution of EURATOM research to off-site emergency management in Europe over the past two decades. Effort initially focused on the development of methods and software that could be used to underpin the nature and extent of emergency management arrangements and policy. With time, and partially in response to accidents at TMI and Chernobyl, effort shifted to the development of a comprehensive decision support system that could find broad use in real time across Europe in order to better inform decisions on emergency management. The deployment of the developed system across Europe, largely so far at a pre-operational level, is described together with the opportunities this offers for more coherent response to any accident that may in future affect Europe and for better use of scarce resources, both human and otherwise. Indications are given of where further effort or initiatives should be directed with a view to ensuring that the major research achievements are fully and effectively exploited.
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Dennis J. King. (2005). Humanitarian knowledge management. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 291–295). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: International complex humanitarian emergencies present numerous challenges to aid organizations trying to manage data, information and knowledge about the situation or event. Humanitarian aid organizations should be able to identify what critical information they need, where to find it, what are the major gaps, and how best to share, present and disseminate this information. These challenges can be addressed through improved knowledge management. The faster and more efficiently humanitarian aid organizations are able to identify, collect, distill, analyze and manage the vast corpus of what they need to know, the more effectively they can plan for and respond to natural disasters and complex emergencies and the more lives are potentially saved.
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Jonas Landgren. (2005). Shared use of information technology in emergency response work: Results from a field experiment. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 35–41). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: This paper presents results from a field experiment of IT-use in emergency response work of a fire crew. A prototype has been developed to probe for instances of sensemaking supported by IT-use in such work. The findings have been analyzed in relation to research on design of emergency management information systems and sensemaking theory. Key findings from the field experiment suggest that there is a potential conflict between the role-based emergency management information systems and the shared use of information technology of first responders. Further it is advocated that prototypes should be used to explore the extrinsic of the work practice difficult to uncover using only direct-observation or interviews.
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Ola Leifler, & Johan Jenvald. (2005). Critique and visualization as decision support for mass-casualty emergency management. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 155–159). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Emergency management in highly dynamic situations consists of exploring options to solve a planning problem. This task can be supported through the use of visual cues that are based on domain knowledge of the current domain. We present an approach to use visualization of critical constraints in timelines and hierarchical views as decision support in mass-casualty emergency situations.
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P. Lin, & S.M. Lo. (2005). The application of quickest flow problem in urban evacuation planning. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 129–130). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The provision of evacuation plan for people living in populated urban area is necessary to reduce the possible casualties under disasters. Time-varying quickest flow problem (TVQFP), which can simultaneously optimize the evacuation schedule, evacuation locations and evacuation routes, is adopted to optimize the evacuation planning of a city to minimize the clearance time of residents in danger. The integration of optimization model with GIS environment enables emergency managers to easily identify possible bottlenecks and to observe evacuation patterns in vivid pictures for further analysis and evaluation.
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