Steve Lappenbusch

Improving Humanitarian Relief Information and Communication Systems through Research

This paper introduces and discusses issues related to research, development and application of information and communication systems (ICS) to the effectiveness of humanitarian relief efforts. The conference panel not only addresses these issues, but also presents results from an NSF-sponsored, multidisciplinary workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya in June 2006 on this topic

Investigating the boundaries and substance of humanitarian actors″ information environments

Humanitarian action organizations alleviate human suffering and prevent death. Understanding relief workers as information users and how they use (or choose not to use) information as part of a system could pay enormous dividends in human suffering reduced and lives saved. Understanding the lived experience of users “on the ground” avoids perilous mistakes, especially in humanitarian action where end users are of such utter importance in literally saving lives.

Methods for Researching Humanitarian Relief Systems

Research in the field of humanitarian relief is sparse. Yet, ineffective communication and coordination in response to disasters such as Hurricane Katrina highlight the need to research humanitarian relief information and communication systems (HR ICS) from a user-centered perspective. Currently, with little research done in the humanitarian sector, and even less done focusing on the user experience of humanitarian personnel, designing improved humanitarian relief ICS for future preparedness, response and recovery has little published empirical research on which to draw. This paper positions humanitarian relief communication as a research issue, profiles some of the research methods we could use to research HR ICS including an assessment of each methods strengths and weaknesses, and a brief conclusion offering next steps in developing a user-centered humanitarian relief ICS research community