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 actors, often referred to as self-organization. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a framework for disaster management information systems that embraces an actor-centered perspective to explicitly support coordination and self-organization. The framework is designed and validated to (i) analyze the current practice of disaster information management, including the way changes occur through self-organization, and (ii) study how to design disaster management information systems that support coordination and self-organization within the current practice. A case study in Jakarta is used to modify and validate the framework, and to illustrate its potential to capture self-organization in practice. The analysis showed that analyzing the actors’ activities through the framework can provide insights on the way self-organization occurs. Moreover, networking, preparedness and centralization were found to be key elements in the design of disaster management information systems with an actor-centered perspective. ... Read more

Humanitarian organizations are increasingly challenged by the amount of data available to drive their decisions. Useful data can come from many sources, exists in different formats, and merging it into a basis for analysis and planning often exceeds organizations’ capacities and resources. At the same time, affected communities’ participation in decision making processes is often hindered by a lack of information and data literacy capacities within the communities. We describe a participatory disaster risk analysis project in the central Philippines where the community and a humanitarian NGO worked towards a joint understanding of disaster risks and coping capacities through data integration and IT-supported analysis. We present findings from workshops, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, showing the reciprocal effects of the collaborative work. While the community valued the systematically gathered and structured evidence that supported their own risk perceptions and advocacy efforts, the humanitarian NGO revisited established work practices for data collection for analysis and planning. ... Read more

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 the field of information management is emerging as communities are becoming increasingly active in the field of information gathering, analyzing and sharing. However, communities may have specific requirements and approaches to using information systems in crisis situations. Moreover, connecting information systems between communities and responder pose specific challenges due to the different information needs, capacities and incentives to use them. In this paper we build on the DERMIS premises and explore through a case study if and how these principles apply to inclusive information systems. We present the initial findings of this work of designing information systems involving both communities and formal responders. ... Read more

This paper concentrates on methods to facilitate interactions and knowledge exchange between different expert groups. The specific case examined is on expert groups from the aviation and humanitarian context. Both are highly complex, multidisciplinary systems where stakeholders work under high time pressure and uncertainty and in a complex decision-making environment. Especially during a sudden on-set (natural) disaster, stakeholders from the humanitarian field and airport management need to work closely together to guarantee the most efficient way of handling issues like overwhelmed customs officials, unsolicited aid donations and unsafe or unprepared warehouses. While several approaches are available, the question still remains: which method works best to create a mutual understanding between these two worlds. To answer it, three different approaches have been examined: (1) discussion rounds with experts, (2) gaming-related method and (3) simulation game. The set-ups as well as the results will be described and pros and cons of each method discussed. ... Read more

An increasing number of people are facing the consequences of volatile events around the globe, whether due to natural causes or man-made crises. To prevent further physical, psychological, social and economic collapse after such a critical event, fast and effective humanitarian interventions are needed. However, the mounting frequency and intensity of these events has tested the ability of the international humanitarian community to respond quickly and effectively. This quick scan identifies key themes for improving the delivery of disaster relief during the critical response period (within 72 hours). Specifically, the analysis aims to identify industry best practices and success stories as well as challenges to be overcome. The quick scan was initiated by the Dutch Coalition for Humanitarian Innovation, and financially supported by Save the Netherlands, the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam-The Hague (MRDH) and Delft University of Technology. The project is further supported by ArgusI, a logistics and supply chain consultancy firm. Throughout the project several NGOs and consultants have supported the project by providing their input and sharing their insights. The ‘quick scan’ is intended to be a starting point for future research regarding ways to remove logistical bottlenecks. This analysis includes a qualitative description of industry best practices and challenges faced in the field. These findings are based on desk research and interviews with experts from various disaster response organizations together covering a wide range of expertise and experiences in disaster response throughout the past decade. ... Read more

The Horizon 2020 interim evaluation (2017) indicates a steep increase in citizen engagement in European Union Citizen Science (CS) projects, with less than 1% in budgetary terms and minimal influence. Research findings attribute weak CS influence to the restriction of citizen actions to data collection, with minimal or no engagement in co-design, co-creation, data analysis, and elucidation of results. We design a participatory GIS and CS methodology aimed at engaging the citizens in the entire Earth Observation (EO) project cycle. The methodology also seeks to address previous CS project challenges related to data quality, data interoperability, citizen-motivation, and participation. We draw the high-level requirements from the SENDAI framework of action and the three pillars of active citizen engagement, as enshrined in Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration and the Aarhus Convention. The primary input of the methodology is the Haklay (2018) approach for participatory mapping and CS, and the Reed (2009) stakeholder analysis framework. The proposed methodology comprises of three main parts: system analysis, stakeholder analysis, and a six-step methodology. We designed the six-step methodology using an iterative and flexible approach, to take account of unforeseen changes. Future research will focus on implementing the methodology and evaluating its effectiveness in the Solotvyno Saltmine case study in Ukraine. ... Read more

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. ... Read more

From November 2017 to April 2018, HumTech Lab at TU Delft partnered with Cordaid to work on an applied research project and address data and analysis challenges in humanitarian resilience and response activities. Central to the project were the questions: what information challenges do humanitarian field workers face? How can communities be empowered through data and information? And how can novel data initiatives like IATI create direct practical value for communities and humanitarian field workers?

The project was started by HumTech Lab with a review of the state of research and practice around information needs in humanitarian contexts. A major source were the findings of the 2013 report on humanitarian decision makers information needs1. Existing data sets and software platforms, incl. those dealing with IATI, were examined with respect to their ability to address those information needs. The matching process between information needs and available data and tools uncovered gaps where data and tools do not meet information needs and formed the first set of requirements for a novel software prototype that would select and combine certain data for a more tailored information supply. ... Read more

During SimEx2018 the large-scale field exercise was augmented with a digital environment. This digital environment consists of the digital presence of role-players on social media, the use of modern web technologies and the involvement of the Digital humanitarian Network (DHN). In SimEx2018 the DHN, specifically the Standby Task Force (SBTF) was activated and collaborated closely with UNDAC team. The value of DHN involvement was well recognized and proved to contribute to the response operations during the exercise. This report highlights the setup of the digital environment of SimEx, the activities executed prior and during the exercise, the management of SimEx digital environment and the lessons learned / reflections for future exercise and DHN development. ... Read more

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 information to create a coherent understanding and improve coordination. The research presented in this paper focuses on the socio-technical requirements of IT platforms that support sensemaking and coordination. Using a comprehensive evaluation exercise based on real data from the 2017 Kenyan elections, we examine the development, workflows and use of this shared situational awareness in a group decision making process. In this manner, we identify requirements for resilience platforms and identify further research directions. ... Read more

New information and communication technologies (ICT) have enabled communities to collect and share information and tap into a network of peers in unprecedented ways. For more than a decade, information has been recognized as a vital part of disaster relief, and recently ICTs have been described to improve the resilience of disaster-ridden societies. At the same time, the humanitarian turn towards technology also entails increasing remote management and centralization. This paper highlights social justice concerns and critically reviews the role and potential of technology as an enabler of community resilience. We start from a discussion on essential concepts around information technologies for resilience and social justice. Having established the core concepts, we trace the development of ICT for resilience across three time periods. We discuss how technology development and disaster management practices co-evolved and highlight implications for resilience and social justice. ... Read more

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 portions of southeast Texas, rainfall totals during the six-day period between August 25 and 31, 2017 were amongst the highest ever recorded, causing flooding at an unprecedented scale. More than 100,000 residential properties are estimated to have been affected in southeast Texas. It is likely that Harvey will rank among the costliest storms in U.S. history. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Delft University of Technology has initiated a Harvey Research Team to undertake a coordinated multidisciplinary investigation of the events with a focus on the greater Houston area. This ‘fact-finding’ research is based on information available from public sources during and in the first weeks after the event. Results are therefore preliminary, but aim to provide insight into lessons that can be learned for both Texas and the Netherlands. As part of the investigations, a hackathon with more than 80 participants was organized to collect and analyze available public information. Houston was especially hard hit by flooding. During the event, all 22 watersheds in the greater Houston area experienced flooding. Many of Houston’s creeks and bayous exceeded their channel capacities, reaching water levels never before recorded. Across large portions of Harris County, rainfall totals exceeded the 1000-year return period. In addition, the water from the two reservoirs protecting downtown Houston (Addicks and Barker) were opened on August 28 to prevent catastrophic damages to the dams and further flooding in upstream communities. The releases exacerbated flooding in the areas downstream of the dams and an estimated 4,000 homes in neighborhoods downstream of the dams were impacted by flooding. The consequences of the event in the greater Houston area have been characterized in terms of economic damages, loss of life and impacts on critical infrastructure, airports and industry. In total, more than 100,000 homes were affected more than 70 fatalities were reported in the greater Houston area. The event highlighted the vulnerability of industrial facilities, as several cascading impacts (releases of toxic materials and explosions) were reported. Emergency response has been assessed. No large-scale mandatory evacuation was ordered before or during Harvey. However, it appeared that several local evacuations were ordered for areas with specific risks and circumstances. During the event, many people were trapped by rising waters necessitating a major rescue operation. In total, more than 10,000 rescues were made by professional and volunteer rescuers. Social media played an important role during the event and recovery, as an additional source of information, to inform emergency managers and as a means to organize community response e.g. for clean-up. Also, messages were conveyed through social media, e.g. a report of a levee breach that appeared to be incorrect afterwards. Major flooding is a problem that has multiple causes from both physical and social origin. Based on the investigations, recommendations for future research and lessons for flood management have been formulated. A better understanding of the issues studied in this report is expected to contribute to a knowledge basis for further in-depth investigations and future directions for flood risk reduction. Data collection and Report production funded by DIMI and DSys Special Case 'Houston Galveston Bay Region, Texas, USA' Project 'Harvey hackathon' and follow-up research ... Read more