An Online Social Network for Emergency Management Connie White, Linda Plotnick, Jane Kushma, Roxanne Hiltz and Murray Turoff

One Place for the Emergency Domain to Interact

We propose to investigate whether the social network paradigm can be used to enable individuals and organizations to collaborate in mutually beneficial ways, in all stages of emergency management: mitigation, preparation, response and recovery.

We propose to investigate whether the social network paradigm can be used to enable individuals and organizations to collaborate in mutually beneficial ways, in all stages of emergency management: mitigation, preparation, response and recovery.

For our purposes, we would characterize a social network as Links from and to people with other people, groups or information objects. Such objects might be messages, photos, videos, wall postings, notifications, current activities, events, widgets, etc. Such hyper-links are either at one extreme created by intelligent agents or at the other extreme by the people themselves.

Links from and to people with other people, groups or information objects.

Such objects might be messages, photos, videos, wall postings, notifications, current activities, events, widgets, etc.

Such hyper-links are either at one extreme created by intelligent agents or at the other extreme by the people themselves.

Overarching Research Question Can a Social Network be developed specifically to meet the needs of the emergency domain and be useful and effective for large groups of collaborating emergency professionals and volunteers?

Can a Social Network be developed specifically to meet the needs of the emergency domain and be useful and effective for large groups of collaborating emergency professionals and volunteers?

2 Studies Conducted So Far EM Students ISCRAMers Viewed 119 118 Started 80 47 Completed 72 15 Completion Rate 90% 32% Dropouts 8 32 Time For Completion 5 minutes 17 minutes

Rank Order of Best Applications for Social Networks by EM Students Sharing Information Communication with Others Networking Share documents, files and other digital resources for all. (tie) Uploading Videos and Locating Experts

Sharing Information

Communication with Others

Networking

Share documents, files and other digital resources for all.

(tie) Uploading Videos and Locating Experts

Rank Order of Best Applications for Social Networks by ISCRAMers Damage assessment and disaster intelligence Citizen engagement or citizen input Collaborative exercise design and development Collaborative problem solving Training or exchange of training material Consultation for real-time decision making Best practices exchange Planning or exchange of planning material Peer exchanges among and with CERT members New document evaluation and review

Damage assessment and disaster intelligence

Citizen engagement or citizen input

Collaborative exercise design and development

Collaborative problem solving

Training or exchange of training material

Consultation for real-time decision making

Best practices exchange

Planning or exchange of planning material

Peer exchanges among and with CERT members

New document evaluation and review

Creative Ways of Using an Online Social Network for Emergency Management Chat features with Experts Inform Media/Press of Updates Training Tutorials, Classes, Research Trigger Other Technology Mentoring New Emergency Managers Specialized Network of Experts Form Teams Emergency Notification Systems

Chat features with Experts

Inform Media/Press of Updates

Training Tutorials, Classes, Research

Trigger Other Technology

Mentoring New Emergency Managers

Specialized Network of Experts

Form Teams

Emergency Notification Systems

Concerns of Using an Online Social Network for Emergency Management Information Integrity/Corruption/Falsification User Identification/Credibility/Authenticity Privacy of Members Compromised Technology Reliability Unprofessional Conduct Online (flaming) Security of Information Stalkers, Terrorists Virus or other digital threats

Information Integrity/Corruption/Falsification

User Identification/Credibility/Authenticity

Privacy of Members Compromised

Technology Reliability

Unprofessional Conduct Online (flaming)

Security of Information

Stalkers, Terrorists

Virus or other digital threats

Will it Work? Will people use it? Will people perceive and use social networks for serious work?

Will people use it?

Will people perceive and use social networks for serious work?

Microsoft's Vine: Emergency Social Networking pcworld “ That may sound a lot like a social network , but Vine was built solely as a way to organize and disseminate important information among organizations such as sports teams, church groups, and advocacy organizations, or to stay in touch with neighbors, family, and friends during an emergency. ” www.vine.net

“ That may sound a lot like a social network , but Vine was built solely as a way to organize and disseminate important information among organizations such as sports teams, church groups, and advocacy organizations, or to stay in touch with neighbors, family, and friends during an emergency. ”

www.vine.net

The End Questions, Comments?