Dissemination of Information Sujit Mohanty UNISDR Secretariat, Geneva Regional Workshop on Sharing Risk Knowledge Loss data collection workshop Bangkok, June 2007

Key Objective of the clinic Why dissemination of loss data is important? Who are the potential users of the loss data? How to present the data in more understandable format? How to ensure proper dissemination?

Why dissemination of loss data is important?

Who are the potential users of the loss data?

How to present the data in more understandable format?

How to ensure proper dissemination?

No One size Fits all Solution

Information Dissemination Recipe THERE AIN’T ANY RECIPE!

Information Dissemination - Myths and Reality Disseminating information (passive) Myth: If it is available, they will access it. Reality : Not necessarily Message attributes (neutral) Myth : If providers understand it, so do users. Reality : Not normally Achieving outcomes (active) Myth : If they have it, they will use it. Reality : Not unless they want it.

Disseminating information (passive)

Myth: If it is available, they will access it.

Reality : Not necessarily

Message attributes (neutral)

Myth : If providers understand it, so do users.

Reality : Not normally

Achieving outcomes (active)

Myth : If they have it, they will use it.

Reality : Not unless they want it.

How accurately can information be disseminated? (transmission problem) How well does the information convey a desired meaning? (semantic problem) How much does the received meaning affect outcomes? (effectiveness problem) Communication Complexity

How accurately can information be disseminated? (transmission problem)

How well does the information convey a desired meaning? (semantic problem)

How much does the received meaning affect outcomes? (effectiveness problem)

Qualitative research is great but takes a lot of time Stakeholders respond to quantitative analysis & visual representations Deliverables do not cater to a bigger community Research findings remain locked up with analyst Loss database Building Process Data Collection Analysis Reports/Findings Issues Dissemination Strategy

Qualitative research is great but takes a lot of time

Stakeholders respond to quantitative analysis & visual representations

Deliverables do not cater to a bigger community

Research findings remain locked up with analyst

Dissemination Questions Who are the target users? Do they know it exists? Can they find it? Do they have access permission? Are they connected? Can they read it? Can they analyze it? Can they afford it? Can they accept it? - Awareness - Search - Accessibility - Community of Practices - Formats - Systems - Cost - Processes - Consumers

Who are the target users?

Do they know it exists?

Can they find it?

Do they have access permission?

Are they connected?

Can they read it?

Can they analyze it?

Can they afford it?

Can they accept it?

Are you targeting these? Policy makers and implementers Practitioners at the field Researcher Media Public Kids …

Policy makers and implementers

Practitioners at the field

Researcher

Media

Public

Kids

…

Understand your target users Who are the people you want to reach? What motivates them to take action? Who do they listen to? Are they permanent or transient? Are they partners? Clients? Stakeholders? What is their level of professional knowledge?

Who are the people you want to reach?

What motivates them to take action?

Who do they listen to?

Are they permanent or transient?

Are they partners? Clients? Stakeholders?

What is their level of professional knowledge?

Do a proper user research Talk to your users. Use mental modeling Build use case scenarios

Talk to your users.

Use mental modeling

Build use case scenarios

Mental Models

Modes of information dissemination Synchronous – (Rich) Two-way communication with virtually no time delay, allowing real-time response . Examples Conversation Presentation Telephone Door-to-door Meetings Examples E-Mail Website Notice Report Newsletter Asynchronous – (Reach) Two-way communication with a time delay, allowing response at user’s convenience.

Examples

Conversation

Presentation

Telephone

Door-to-door

Meetings

Visualization of the data for each target user still remains to be a challenge

Visualization of the data for each target user still remains to be a challenge

Let people know it exists Increase your findability

Increase your findability

Make it available

One of my friend lives here

Google Mashup Not a website of the Chicago Police department

Make data public

Dissemination channels…some examples PreventionWeb Re-dat

PreventionWeb

Re-dat

Objective Content Services How it works Content exchange/ syndication methods

Objective

Content

Services

How it works

Content exchange/ syndication methods

Objectives To facilitate the work of DRR professionals through the dissemination of relevant information. To provide a common platform for institutions to connect, exchange experiences and share information on DRR. To establish an environment which will encourage the creation, and sharing of DRR knowledge. © PreventionWeb 2007 www.preventionweb.net

To facilitate the work of DRR professionals through the dissemination of relevant information.

To provide a common platform for institutions to connect, exchange experiences and share information on DRR.

To establish an environment which will encourage the creation, and sharing of DRR knowledge.

Content © PreventionWeb 2007 www.preventionweb.net

Factsheets

Events

Most popular searches

DRR News

Theme highlight

New publications

Maps

Training

From Our Partners

Alerts on Disasters

Data and Statistics

Services © PreventionWeb 2007 www.preventionweb.net

Participate

Search

Save

Tag

Print

Syndicate

Mailing list services Gender and Disaster network Education network NGO network Media network International Recovery Platform CADRI Etc… © PreventionWeb 2007 www.preventionweb.net

Gender and Disaster network

Education network

NGO network

Media network

International Recovery Platform

CADRI

Etc…

Content Exchange Methodology Prevention Web Open Web Service API

How it works © PreventionWeb 2007 www.preventionweb.net

Partnerships >>

Re-DAT

Questions for discussion Who do you think are the primary consumer of the loss data in your country? How do you reach them? What are the major challenges of information dissemination in your country?

Who do you think are the primary consumer of the loss data in your country?

How do you reach them?

What are the major challenges of information dissemination in your country?