Abstract
Due to the increase in natural disasters in the past years, Disaster Response Organizations (DROs) are faced with the challenge of coping with more and larger operations. Currently appointed Information and Communications Technology (ICT) used for coordination and communication is sometimes outdated and does not scale, while novel technologies have the potential to greatly improve disaster response efficiency. To allow adoption of these novel technologies, ICT system designers have to take into account the particular needs of DROs and characteristics of International Disaster Response (IDR). This work attempts to bring the humanitarian and ICT communities closer together. In this work, we analyze IDR-related documents and conduct expert interviews. Using open coding, we extract empirical insights and translate the peculiarities of DRO coordination and operation into tangible ICT design requirements. This information is based on interviews with active IDR staff as well as DRO guidelines and reports. Ultimately, the goal of this paper is to serve as a reference for future ICT research endeavors to support and increase the efficiency of IDR operations.
Highlights
The number and impact of natural disasters around the world has increased in the last decades [19,39]
Despite a broad body of research conducted on the nature of crises and crisis management support via Information and Communications Technology (ICT), we found that there is a dearth of studies defining concrete characteristics and requirements particu larly for ICT designers
A disaster, on the other hand, can be considered as the manifestation of a hazard, i.e., a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources [61,63]
Summary
The number and impact of natural disasters around the world has increased in the last decades [19,39]. Disaster Response Organizations (DROs) need to adapt and improve coordination, communication, and other forms of supporting technolo gies. Communication systems for challenged environments based on Disruption-Tolerant Networks (DTNs) can help to collect information and communicate in the field even in the absence of cellular infra structure [33]; cloud-based information aggregators and hubs have the potential to improve IDR coordination; and cyber-physical systems (search-and-rescue robots, drones) can support the relief efforts in the field [6,41]. To allow adoption of these novel technologies, ICT system designers and developers have to take the particular needs of DROs into account and consider the challenged environment in which they operate. We believe that this inevitably requires solid background knowledge in the field of IDR.
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