Christine Adler, Lisa Jakob, Mirjam Haus, Lena Erfurt, & Marion Krüsmann. (2012). GABEK WinRelan® – A qualitative method for crisis research engaging crisis management personnel. 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: Qualitative research methods like GABEK WinRelan are advantageous tools to analyze and thereby improve crisis management planning and communication systems by interrogating crisis management personnel. Contrary to quantitative methods they help to identify, explore, and structure new important aspects in this field and to formulate more specific research questions. This paper describes the usage and advantages of the qualitative method GABEK WinRelan within crisis management research, particularly within the e-Triage project which aims at the development of an electronic registration system of affected persons in mass casualty incidents. Furthermore it addresses different corresponding research fields like stress within emergency missions and the role GABEK WinRelan could play in examining these research fields. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Alexander Gabriel, Florian Klein, & Frank Fiedrich. (2020). Modelling of Passenger Handling Processes in Railway Stations – A Mixed-Methods Approach. In Amanda Hughes, Fiona McNeill, & Christopher W. Zobel (Eds.), ISCRAM 2020 Conference Proceedings – 17th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 580–592). Blacksburg, VA (USA): Virginia Tech.
Abstract: The constantly increasing number of passengers using public transportation leads to an expansion of the ser-vices offered by public transportation companies. The existing transportation infrastructures, especially rail-way stations, can only partly cope with this rapid growth. There is already overcrowding on platforms and access routes, especially during disruptions caused by natural disasters or major public events. This crowding may result in personal injury or shutdown of operations for safety reasons. The research project CroMa aims at improving robustness, safety, security and performance of railway stations at peak loads. The paper contributes thereto by developing an approach to assess railway infrastructure in terms of the risk of overcrowding. The core of this research is to combine qualitative workshop results with quantitative database analysis. Furthermore, the paper gives an outlook on the ongoing process model development as a basis for a semi-quantitative evaluation tool for railway stations applicable by end users.
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Margunn Indreboe Alshaikh, & Helena Puig Larrauri. (2012). Building resilience through crisis mapping, community engagement and recovery planning in Sudan. 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: Understanding that disasters and conflicts do not occur in a vacuum, but are integrally linked to the broader context in which they take place, building resilience within both state and society structures becomes a crucial tool to speed recovery and lessen the likelihood of recurrence as local and institutional capacities are put in place to respond to, manage and reduce emerging risks. Since, 2008, United Nations Development Programme in Sudan has through its Crisis and Recovery Mapping and Analysis Project been developing a participatory mapping and analysis methodology to enhance crisis responsiveness and evidence-based strategic planning both within the United Nations system and national government. Using innovative technologies and GIS, sensitive issues are contextualized and depoliticized through novel correlations and visualisations, allowing previously contesting state and society actors to jointly identify priorities for intervention and response. The process has fostered an open dialogue, strengthening the capacities of local actors to respond to emerging crises in a timely and appropriate manner. Participatory mapping has thus become a key tool in managing complexities in peacebuilding and recovery in post-crisis settings. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Amelie Grangeat, Floriane Brill, Stephane Raclot, & Emmanuel Lapebie. (2016). Mapping of Areas Presenting Specific Risks to Firefighters due to Buried Technical Networks. In A. Tapia, P. Antunes, V.A. Bañuls, K. Moore, & J. Porto (Eds.), ISCRAM 2016 Conference Proceedings ? 13th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Abstract: Vehicles or freight cars on fire below a bridge or inside a tunnel are exceptional events and imply difficult intervention conditions for firefighters. A buried technical network like high voltage electricity line, gas or steam pipeline around such a fire causes additional specifics risks. Vulnerability areas for firefighters are defined as zones where both factors exist: a difficult incident area – like tunnels or bridges over roads/railway lines ? together with a specific risk like buried networks. These areas require intervention teams with specific emergency response capabilities. The present paper proposes a method developed for the Paris Fire Brigade for vulnerability mapping. Results aim at being used by their decision support system dedicated to the mobilization of intervention teams. On the long term, it could improve the allocation of specific responses capabilities intervention teams as soon as the emergency call is treated. Results are debated from an operational point of view.
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Zahra Ashktorab, Christopher Brown, Manojit Nandi, & Aron Culotta. (2014). Tweedr: Mining twitter to inform disaster response. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 354–358). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: In this paper, we introduce Tweedr, a Twitter-mining tool that extracts actionable information for disaster relief workers during natural disasters. The Tweedr pipeline consists of three main parts: classification, clustering and extraction. In the classification phase, we use a variety of classification methods (sLDA, SVM, and logistic regression) to identify tweets reporting damage or casualties. In the clustering phase, we use filters to merge tweets that are similar to one another; and finally, in the extraction phase, we extract tokens and phrases that report specific information about different classes of infrastructure damage, damage types, and casualties. We empirically validate our approach with tweets collected from 12 different crises in the United States since 2006.
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Imane Benkhelifa, Samira Moussaoui, & Nadia Nouali-Taboudjemat. (2013). Locating emergency responders using mobile wireless sensor networks. 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. 432–441). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: Emergency response in disaster management using wireless sensor networks has recently become an interest of many researchers in the world. This interest comes from the growing number of disasters and crisis (natural or man-made) affecting millions of lives and the easy-use of new and cheap technologies. This paper details another application of WSN in the post disaster scenario and comes up with an algorithm for localization of sensors attached to mobile responders (firefighters, policemen, first aid agents, emergency nurses, etc) while assisted by a mobile vehicle (fire truck, police car, or aerial vehicle like helicopters) called mobile anchor, sent to supervise the rescue operation. This solution is very efficient and rapidly deployable since no pre-installed infrastructure is needed. Also, there is no need to equip each sensor with a GPS receiver which is very costly and may increase the sensor volume. The proposed technique is based on the prediction of the rescuers velocities and directions considering previous position estimations. The evaluation of our solution shows that our technique takes benefit from prediction in a more effective manner than previous solutions. The simulation results show that our algorithm outperforms conventional Monte Carlo localization schemes by decreasing estimation errors with more than 50%.
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Peter Berggren, Björn J.E. Johansson, Nicoletta Baroutsi, Isabelle Turcotte, & Sébastien Tremblay. (2014). Assessing team focused behaviors in emergency response teams using the shared priorities measure. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 130–134). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: The purpose of this work in progress paper is to report on the method development of the Shared Priorities measure to include content analysis, as a way of gaining a deeper understanding of team work in crisis/emergency response. An experiment is reported where the performance of six trained teams is compared with the performance of six non-trained teams. The experiment was performed using an emergency response microworld simulation with a forest fire scenario. Dependent measures were simulation performance, the Crew Awareness Rating Scale (CARS), and content analysis. Trained teams performed better and scored higher on measures of team behaviors.
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Peter H. Berghmans, Gerd Van Den Eede, & Bartel A. Van De Walle. (2008). A systems perspective on security risk identification: Methodology and illustrations from city councils. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 266–275). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: In this paper we take a system theoretic perspective to the process of security risk identification in the context of city councils. Based on this approach, we construct a framework that helps to identify risks. We analyze why this methodological framework is suitable for the risk identification process. Research in fifty Flemish city councils reveals the usefulness of our approach of combining a perceived vs. objective perspective with a technical vs. organizational one. We believe such a framework offers a workable tool for dealing with IS security risks in a systems thinking way.
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Erik A.M. Borglund, & Lena-Maria Öberg. (2014). Creation of an exercise scenario: A collaborative design effort. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 488–492). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: To increase the preparedness Crisis response and management authorities carry out various forms of exercises. This article is based upon a three year long project named Gaining security symbiosis (GSS). The project was aiming to increase the collaboration between crisis actors in the Swedish-Norway border region through exercises. We argue that creation of scenarios is a design challenge. In the GSS project, the exercises are built upon designed scenarios, which should make the exercise realistic and make the trainee train the expected. We propose a scenario design method that is built upon an iterative approach and that includes collaboration with the actors that are involved in the exercise. The method also includes a set of characteristics that could be used to evaluate the events of the scenario. The method have been developed and refined during the project and show some promising result. There is however a need for future research when it comes to further development and evaluation of the proposed design method.
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José Miguel Castillo, Starr Roxanne Hiltz, & Murray Turoff. (2012). Monte Carlo and decision making support 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: Simulation is an interdisciplinary science applicable to many branches of knowledge. One field in which simulation is relevant is decision making support (DMS), in which we use computers to run models of real or possible scenarios in order to evaluate alternative actions before carrying them out. We will obtain a useful simulation system only when the model (engine of the simulation process) has been made accurately to represent reality. Thus it is necessary to use a methodology that helps us to construct a simulation system. This paper presents some classifications of simulation systems and an introduction to the Monte Carlo method, with the objective of creating a framework of application of this method for the construction of simulation systems for decision making support in crisis management. One area of applicability is scenario-based simulations for training for cross-national teams to cooperate in large scale disasters. The final aim of this research will be the recommendation of standards and methodologies to build simulation systems in crisis management, specifically in decision making support. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Soudip Roy Chowdhury, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Rizwan Asghar, Amer-Yahia, S., & Carlos Castillo. (2013). Tweet4act: Using incident-specific profiles for classifying crisis-related messages. 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. 834–839). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: We present Tweet4act, a system to detect and classify crisis-related messages communicated over a microblogging platform. Our system relies on extracting content features from each message. These features and the use of an incident-specific dictionary allow us to determine the period type of an incident that each message belongs to. The period types are: Pre-incident (messages talking about prevention, mitigation, and preparedness), during-incident (messages sent while the incident is taking place), and post-incident (messages related to the response, recovery, and reconstruction). We show that our detection method can effectively identify incident-related messages with high precision and recall, and that our incident-period classification method outperforms standard machine learning classification methods.
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Christian Uhr, Björn J E Johansson, Jonas Landgren, Martin Holmberg, Fredrik Bynander, Samuel Koelega, et al. (2016). Once upon a time in Västmanland – the power of narratives or how the “truth” unfolds. In A. Tapia, P. Antunes, V.A. Bañuls, K. Moore, & J. Porto (Eds.), ISCRAM 2016 Conference Proceedings ? 13th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Abstract: In 2014 a small fire started in a forest in central Sweden. Within a few days it developed into the largest wildfire in Sweden in the last 50 years. As the scale of the fire increased, so did the need for direction and coordination of the resources engaged in the response operation. Both official investigators and the research community have studied the challenges and come up with recommendations for improvements of the Swedish crisis management system. All authors of this paper have been involved in such efforts. This paper is a result of us trying to formulate lessons learnt based on several written reports and official discussions. The development of the narratives constructed by individuals involved in the response, investigators and researchers is analyzed. We conclude that researchers need to pay attention to their own role in this development. Maybe there is a need for a game changer on the methodological side?
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Graham Coates, Glenn I. Hawe, Duncan T. Wilson, & Roger S. Crouch. (2011). Adaptive co-ordinated emergency response to rapidly evolving large-scale unprecedented events (REScUE). 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: This paper presents an overview of ongoing research into the development of an integrated framework aimed at adaptive co-ordination of emergency response to dynamic, fast evolving and novel events on a large-scale. The framework consists of (i) a decision support system, supported by rapid adaptive search methods, to enable the real time development of tailored response plans including emergency responder team composition and task allocation to these teams, and (ii) an agent-based simulation of emergency response to large-scale events occurring in real geographical locations. The aim of this research is to contribute to understanding how better agent-based simulation coupled with decision support can be used to enable the effective co-ordination of emergency response, involving the collective efforts and actions of multiple agencies (ambulance services, fire brigades, police forces and emergency planning units), to rapidly evolving large-scale unprecedented events.
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Philip Degener, Henning Gösling, & Jutta Geldermann. (2013). Decision support for the location planning in disaster areas using multi-criteria methods. 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. 278–283). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: In this paper, a multi-criteria facility location model is represented. The model is meant to support relief organisations to determine the best warehouse location to stock emergency relief supplies in the pre-disaster phase of a natural disaster. As a result of the prepositioning of the goods the relief organisations are able to respond immediately to an occurring disaster. In consideration of a multiplicity of quantitative and qualitative objectives a criteria hierarchy is developed which can be adapted to any specific disaster area by omitting irrelevant goals. Afterwards the multi-criteria methods PROMETHEE I+II as well as different sensitivity analysis are described and the model is applied on a local level in a flood-prone area in Bangladesh. Small organisations with restrictive financial and personnel resources can especially benefit from the clear structure of the model and the user friendliness and high transparency of the PROMETHE I+II methods.
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Jill L. Drury, Loretta More, Mark Pfaff, & Gary L. Klein. (2009). A principled method of scenario design for testing emergency response decision-making. 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: We are investigating decision aids that present potential courses of action available to emergency responders. To determine whether these aids improve decision quality, however, we first developed test scenarios that were challenging in well-understood ways to ensure testing under the full breadth of representative decision-making situations. We devised a three-step method of developing scenarios: define the decision space, determine the cost components of each decision's potential consequences based on the principles of Robust Decision Making, then choose conflicting pairs of cost components (e.g., a small fire, implying low property damage, in a densely inhabited area, which implies high personal injury). In a validation of this approach, experiment participants made decisions faster in non-ambiguous cases versus cases that included this principled introduction of ambiguity. Our Principled Ambiguity Method of scenario design is also appropriate for other domains as long as they can be analyzed in terms of costs of decision alternatives.
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Tom Duffy, Chris Baber, & Neville Stanton. (2013). Measuring collaborative sensemaking. 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. 561–565). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: Problems of collaborative sensemaking are evident in major incident response where sharing salient information is key to the shared understanding of the situation. In this paper we propose that differences in sensemaking performance can be captured through quantitative methods derived from consideration of network structure and information diffusion as the group collaborates to achieve consensus in a problem-solving task. We present analysis from a large international study in which groups of people collaborate to solve an intelligence analysis problem. Our initial analysis suggests that 'edge' groups are able to collaborate more efficiently and perform better than those which have a hierarchical control structure.
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Duygu Pamukçu, Christopher William Zobel, & Andrew Arnette. (2019). A New Data-Driven Approach to Measuring Hurricane Risk. 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: Improving disaster operations requires understanding and managing risk. This paper proposes a new data-driven approach for measuring the risk associated with a natural hazard, in support of developing more effective approaches for managing disaster operations. The paper focuses, in particular, on the issue of defining the inherent severity of a hazard event, independent of its impacts on human society, and concentrates on hurricanes as a specific type of natural hazard. After proposing a preliminary severity measure in the context of a hurricane, the paper discusses the issues associated with collecting empirical data to support its implementation. The approach is then illustrated by comparing the relative risk associated with two different locations in the state of North Carolina subject to the impacts of Hurricane Florence in 2018.
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Sukumar Dwarkanath, & Denis Gusty. (2010). Information sharing: A strategic approach. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide and recommend a strategic approach for implementation of information sharing initiatives. While such an approach offers a number of benefits, as a primary benefit, it provides a way to measure and monitor the performance of such initiatives, irrespective of their scope, whether they are regional, state, or federal efforts. The first section of the paper presents a framework for alignment among information sharing initiatives; the second section builds on this framework and outlines a roadmap for an assessment methodology for such initiatives.
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Erion Elmasllari. (2019). Design and development methods for improving acceptance of IT among emergency responders. 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: Various sources report a low adoption of IT-based tools in emergency response, as well as a negative attitude of
responders to such tools. The responders? needs, simply put, are not met by the IT-based tools offered to them.
Observing this situation through a user-centered design lens, we note that such problems typically stem from
insufficient or erroneous context analysis. The deficiencies become even more pronounced when considering that
emergency response represents a complex, adaptive socio-technical system. We also note that the appropriate
methodology for designing ER systems is rarely discussed in literature and in research papers. To fill that void, the
present paper discusses a minimal set of techniques that, both in our experience and according to state of the art
practice, can guide developers towards positively-accepted IT systems for emergency response.
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Mauro Falasca, Christopher W. Zobel, & Gary M. Fetter. (2009). An optimization model for humanitarian relief volunteer management. 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: One of the challenges of humanitarian organizations is that there exist limited decision technologies that fit their needs. It has also been pointed out that those organizations experience coordination difficulties with volunteers willing to help. The purpose of this paper is to help address those challenges through the development of a decision model to assist in the management of volunteers. While employee workforce management models have been the topic of extensive research over the past decades, no work has focused on the problem of managing humanitarian relief volunteers. In this paper, we discuss a series of principles from the field of volunteer management and develop a multi criteria optimization model to assist in the assignment of volunteers to tasks. We present an illustrative example and analyze a solution methodology where the decision maker exercises his/her preferences by trading-off conflicting objectives. Conclusions, limitations, and directions for future research are also discussed.
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Holger Fischer, & Florian Klompmaker. (2012). Enriching disaster control management based on human-centered design. 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: Hurricanes or earthquakes reveal the increasing importance of the research in disaster control management, which is essential to coordinate the amount of rescue activities. The German Federal Agency for Technical Relief is responsible for tasks like coordination, high capacity pumping and infrastructure. To support them in their management process and to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness in their workflow, we built an interactive table and established a human-centered design process to understand the context of use and to create a system out of the users' perspective. In this paper we present further scenarios as a result of the second iteration in performing human-centered design methods together with experts in the domain. We show that methods like ethnography studies, task analyses or workshops are suitable and essential in this context and arise in helpful tools that support the experts with additional information in case of decisions. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Siska Fitrianie, Ronald Poppe, Trung H. Bui, Alin Gavril Chitu, Dragos Datcu, Ramón Dor, et al. (2007). A multimodal human-computer interaction framework for research into crisis management. 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. 149–158). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Unreliable communication networks, chaotic environments and stressful conditions can make communication during crisis events difficult. The current practice in crisis management can be improved by introducing ICT systems in the process. However, much experimentation is needed to determine where and how ICT can aid. Therefore, we propose a framework in which predefined modules can be connected in an ad hoc fashion. Such a framework allows for rapid development and evaluation of such ICT systems. The framework offers recognition of various communication modalities including speech, lip movement, facial expression, handwriting and drawing, body gesture, text and visual symbols. It provides mechanisms to fuse these modalities into a context dependent interpretation of the current situation and generate appropriate the multimodal information responses. The proposed toolbox can be used as part of a disaster and rescue simulation. We propose evaluation methods, and focus on the technological aspects of our framework.
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Flavio Dusse, Renato Novais, & Manoel Mendonça. (2018). Investigating the Use of Visual Analytics to Support Decision-Making in Crisis Management: A Multi-Method Approach. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 83–98). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: Like Crisis Management (CM) itself, Visual Analytics (VA) is a multi-disciplinary research area and is potentially useful to analyze and understand the huge amount of multidimensional data produced in a crisis. Our work investigates how researchers and practitioners are using VA in decision-making in CM. This paper firstly reports on a systematic mapping study to analyze the available information visualization tools and their applications in CM. To complement this information, we report on questionnaires and ethnographic studies applied during the large events held in Brazil in recent years. Then, we analyzed existing tools for visualizing crisis information. Lastly, we analyzed the data gathered from interviews with six professional crisis managers. The compiled results show that the full potential of VA is not being applied in the state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice. We consider that further researches in the application of VA is required to improve decision-making processes in crisis management.
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Florent Castagnino. (2019). What can we learn from a crisis management exercise ? Trusting social media in a french firefighters' department. 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: This paper sets out the methodology and the temporary results of an ongoing research project on the use of social media in crisis management (in France). It discusses the benefits and limits to use an emergency crisis exercise for research purposes. It describes an observation protocol and a coding method that could be replicate to survey further exercises. Some possible processing of the observation data is exposed, and further visualizations of the data are still in progress. One of the first analytical results tackles the way Var?s firefighters consider social media information. For now, social media seem to be regarded as questionable because they do not easily fit into the organizational routine. At the same time, the awareness of the need to use social media is quite strong. On the analytical level, the paper tries to use sociological concepts to describe and explain some results.
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Florian Brauner, Julia Maertens, Holger Bracker, Ompe Aimé Mudimu, & Alex Lechleuthner. (2015). Determination of the effectiveness of security measures for low probability but high consequence events: A comparison of multi-agent-simulation & process modelling by experts (L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes, Eds.). Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: Due to the increasing danger of terrorist attacks, it is necessary to determine the preventive effects of security measures installed in e.g. public transportation systems. Since, there is no common practice to determine the preventive effects; we developed two different methodologies to analyse those effects, both are suitable for the assessment of security measures. The first method is a semi-quantitative method based on expert-estimations combined with a modelled process of an attack.The second method models the scenarios using a multi-agent-based simulation framework. Simulating a large number of runs, it is possible to derive values for indicators of interest on statistical basis. We show the suitability of both methods by applying them on a practical example of a public transportation system. In this paper we introduce both methodologies, show an exemplary application and present the strengths and weaknesses and how they can be linked to get an increased benefit.
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