The document discusses crisis mapping, which involves collecting data from sources like social media and eyewitnesses during a crisis, analyzing and displaying the data on a map, and using the information to help direct emergency response efforts. It provides details on the different components of crisis mapping including data collection, analysis, and response, and how volunteers can help by providing translation, research, and quality control of the crowdsourced information. Crisis mapping tools like Ushahidi allow organizations to quickly set up systems to coordinate aid efforts during disasters using data from online reports.

1. CrisisMapping
&
Olga Werby, Ed.D.

2. 2009
CREDIT: JEWEL SAMAD, AFP
2010

3. CrisisMap of Haiti
NECN News Coverage of
Tufts University Students
CrisisMapping of Haiti
Post the 2010 Earthquake

4. Visit http://www.interfaces.com/blog/2011/01/micro-introduction-to-crisis-mapping/ to watch the video

5. Three Main Components of
CrisisMapping
• CrisisMap Sourcing (CMS):
data point collection
• CrisisMap Analysis (CMA):
describing the data points &
displaying them in a map-like structure
• CrisisMap Response (CMR):
generating action based on the
collected data points

6. CrisisMap Sourcing (CMS)
◦ CrisisMap Coding (CMC)—refers to entering the data
points by hand, based on analysis of news, police reports,
blogs, and so on, but the person entering the data is a
professional
◦ Participatory CrisisMapping (PCM)—refers to data points
entered by the population in crisis, requires people on the
ground
◦ Mobile CrisisMapping (MCM)—refers to the use of hand-
held mobile devices to enter data points (e.g.: cell phones,
portable computers, PDAs, real-time satellite and drone
imagery, etc.)
◦ Automated CrisisMapping (ACM)—refers to the use of
computer programs/algorithms to extract relevant data
points from “the virtual cloud”

7. CrisisMap Analysis (CMA)
◦ CrisisMapping Visualization (CMV)—refers to visual
data representation using maps as the basis
◦ CrisisMapping Analytics (CMA)—refers to analysis of
data points using software to detect hidden patterns and
statistical analysis
◦ CrisisMapping Modeling (CMM)—refers to creating
simulations using the data points as variables (think
climate models)

8. CrisisMap Response (CMR)
◦ CrisisMap Dissemination (CMD)—refers to dissemination
of information to the relevant organizations who can
actually provide services on the ground
◦ CrisisMap Decision Support (CMDS)—refers to the
creation of rules and triggers based on the data points: a
certain threshold is set on events that, once reached,
trigger a particular action (think pandemic)
◦ CrisisMap Monitoring & Evaluation (CMME)—refers to
the research that can be conducted using the maps and
data points over time

9. Decision Scaffolding &
CrisisMapping
Smoke Signals from
Eye-Witnesses

10. Decision Scaffolding &
CrisisMapping
News Coverage &
Data Gathering

11. Decision Scaffolding &
CrisisMapping
News Coverage &
Data Gathering

12. Decision Scaffolding &
CrisisMapping
Strategic Decisions on
How to Deliver Help

13. Decision Scaffolding &
CrisisMapping
Strategic Decisions on
How to Deliver Help

14. Information sources get
“quality” ranking based on
previous reliability. This is a
reputation-based system for
filtering data.
Information Filter—Quality Control for Data Information Filter—Quality Control for Data
Coming from the Blogosphere Coming from the Media & Reports
Volunteers all over the world can help with clarifying the
data, researching additional information, translation
services, entering data—spreading the workload among
willing and able individuals with ICT access.
A common geocoded database is constructed based
on ALL available data. Each data point can be tagged
based on its quality, urgency, and needed response.
A small set of “Control Room” individuals send out
requests for data clarification & translation services,
and tag the data. These volunteers have direct
Eye-witness connection to the rescue operations on the ground
accounts of the and to the social network of volunteers.
event are shared
with the world and
directly with aide
organizations &
volunteers.
People working on making
strategic decisions for
delivering aide to the local
population work with a
social network of volunteers
Rescue and Aid Operations on the Ground and standardized crisis
mapping database.
& CrisisMapping

16. Outside data arrives in a language
that is not spoken by individuals in
dat service
Outside data finds a the Aid Operations Control Center.
a tr
perfect fit into the Need data translation services to
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ans s
information flow of
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lati
Aid Operations
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on
1
Aid Operations Control Center
To make appropriate strategic decisions on how to
best deliver aid on the ground, people need:
3
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Outside data is not
delivered in a
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Scaffolding & ing
iss a
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Quality of outside
d data is suspect
CrisisMapping leading to bad
decisions on the
ground.

17. Ushahidi can provide
informational scaffolding to
improve strategic decision
making of rescue operations on
the ground.
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dat service
Outside data finds a the Aid Operations Control Center.
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data miss missing
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best deliver aid on the ground, people need:
Volunteers can research and track data,
asking for clarifications and speeding up
the processing of information to make it
more timely.
3
Outside data is 4
missing a critical Outside data is not
piece of delivered in a
Information
information timely manner.
without which it is
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ng
ssi
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Scaffolding &
d data is suspect
leading to bad
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Volunteers can help with quality
CrisisMapping
control by checking the data and
providing verification of sources.

19. Not
online at
this time
for
privacy
reasons

20. 100s of Ushahidi
CrowdMaps
documenting events
Live CrisisMapping in Japan, all over the world...
hours after the earthquake hit:
Aerial view of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
plant in Okuma, Japan, on Monday, March 14th, 2011

21. How Easy Is It?
• Ushahidi runs its own servers — no need to
setup complicated software system on your
own server (at least for simple projects).
• Ushahidi has comprehensive documentation
and technical support — it’s possible to setup
a CrowdMap in one afternoon!
Ushahidi.com
• Anyone can do it! wiki.Ushahidi.com
If you know what you want to
accomplish and have clear goals for
your CrowdMap, Ushahidi makes it
very easy to set up and go.
LinkedIn.com/groups/Crowdmappers-4215298

22. CostOfChicken.com is a CrowdMap setup by
San Francisco high school students. It tracks the
“true costs of food” around the world.

23. Use this CrowdMap as “sandbox” for trying Ushahidi