Collaboration in
Disaster Response
Problems, Methods, and Tools
Eric Rasmussen, MD, MDM, FACP
We create free and open-source software
for collaboration toward collective action.
We then teach other people how to create it for themselves.
In our opinion, collaboration, in humanitarian action is THE critical task
Refugee management
Cholera outbreak
Katrina response
Questions in disaster response…
What information
isn’t getting to
those who need
it?
What information
isn’t getting to
those who need
it?
Which groups should be
making more decisions together?
Which groups should be
making more decisions together?
What field reports and alerts
should come faster?
What field reports and alerts
should come faster?
Which systems
need to share
information?
Which systems
need to share
information?
The answers to those questions reveal challenges:
1. Cultural acceptance
2. Geo-referenced imagery
3. Languages and translation
4. Unreliable communications
5. Minimal Essential Data Sets
6. Complex System Assessments
7. Formal Decision Support
8. Rapid Assessment Consolidation
9. Emergent Strategic Collaboration
10. Consolidating Human-Animal-Environmental health impact
We think this is what collaboration requires…
Collaboration tools assessment• Problem
– Agencies can’t (or won’t) communicate effectively in crisis
• Requirements for the technical problem– Software that is effective, free, standards-based, easy to use,
sustainable, measurable, and thoroughly interoperable
• Specifications– Must be considered with WHO, UNICEF, MoH, UCLA, OCHA,
UNOSAT, ISDR, Relief Web and many more…
• Development (at least at InSTEDD)– We’ve built four free and open-source tools as prototypes for
improved collaboration in crisis. They fill gaps we perceived.
• Implementation – beta evaluation in progress with all four in Southeast Asia
• ( fifth will appear on the web Tuesday )
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