Towards coordinated self-organization: An actor-centered framework for the design of disaster management information systems

Traditionally, disaster management information systems have been designed to facilitate communication and coordination along stable hierarchical lines and roles. However, to support coordination in disaster response, disaster management information systems need to cater for the emerging roles, responsibilities and information needs of the...

Designing Disaster Information Management Systems 2.0: Connecting communities and responders

Information and supporting information systems is a key element in an effective emergency response. From creating situational awareness to informed decision making, information enables responders to optimize their decisions and operations. Today, with the increased availability of information technology around the globe, a new active player in...

Evaluating Platforms for Community Sensemaking: Using the Case of the Kenyan Elections

The profusion of information technology has created new possibilities for local communities to self-organize and respond to disruptive events. Along with the opportunities, there is also a series of challenges that need to be addressed in order to improve societal resilience. One of these challenges is to make sense of the continuous stream of...

Hurricane Harvey Report: A fact-finding effort in the direct aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in the Greater Houston Region

On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of approximately 200 km/hour. Harvey caused severe damages in coastal Texas due to extreme winds and storm surge, but will go down in history for record-setting rainfall totals and flood-related damages. Across large...