OEM Presentation - IA and Emergency Response

The Information Architecture of

Emergency Response

Noreen Y. Whysel

Womens History Month Breakfast

NYC Office of Emergency Management

March 28, 2012

Hyatt Regency Hotel after Hurricane KatrinaSource: Bill Haber, AP

Hyatt Regency Serves as a ShelterSource: Gary-Coronado-Palm-Beach-Post

Information Architecture

Information Architecture

• Information Architecture: The structural design of

shared information environments

• Information Architecture Institute: global

organization that supports individuals and

organizations specializing in the design and

construction of shared information environment

Touchstones of

Emergency Response

Common Elements of an

Emergency Response System

• People

• Measurement tools/devices

• Data/Information Systems

• Communication

• Response

People (and organizations)

Emergency Management

Information Systems

First RespondersPerson in Need

Emergency Response System

Mental Model for an

Emergency Response System

Something

BAD

happens

Someone

calls for help

Emergency

responder

arrives

Aid is given Forms,

Forms,

Forms

(Based loosely on Mental Models by Indy Young, Rosenfeld Media)

Emergency Response Incident Model D

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Maps Maps Maps Maps Maps Maps

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Planning Event Dispatch Assessment Rescue/

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CIMS: Citywide Incident

Management System

• Roles and responsibilities

• Chain of command by core competency

• Common processes

• Common vocabularies

• Common organizational structure

• Allows for Continuity of Operations

• Complies with National Incident Management System

• Compatible with other states and federal agency systems

Case Study:

Hudson River Parkway

Wall Collapse

Hudson River Parkway Wall Collapse

Henry Hudson Parkway Wall Collapses, May 12, 2005Source: The Gothamist

Elements of Response to a Wall

Collapse Incident

• People – victims, OEM, NYPD, FDNY, DOT, DOS, DOB, CAU, CERT, Tri-Borough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, Columbia University, Salvation Army, Red Cross, private hauling

• Measurement tool/devices – seismographic sensors, thermal and satellite imaging, search dogs

• Data/Information Systems – seismographic data, GIS, infrastructure maps, pictometry

• Communication – radio communications, 911, ICC-1 mayoral briefings, agency planning meetings

• Response – rescue, recovery, Citywide Incident Management System (CIMS), safety zone, evacuation, debris removal, stability tests, community assistance/temporary housing

Emergency Response

Technologies

OEM Emergency Response

Technologies

• Maps and Imaging

• Communications

• Information Systems

• Sensors

• Vehicles

Maps and Imaging

• NYCMAP: Basemap of NYC

including streets, building

footprint, some infrastructure

• Infrastructure maps: Department

of Buildings, Con Ed (power

company), Department of

Environmental Protection,

Department of Transportation

• LIDAR imaging

• Thermal imaging

• Aerial and satellite imagery

Compare to Google Maps

Communications

• Telephony, 911, 311, 511 (MTA Info)

• NYCWiN: Wireless network

• Mobile phones/devices

• Radio

• Websites, SMS, Twitter, Facebook

• Ready NY Guides

• Emergency Communications Transformation Program (E911)

With land lines down and mobile

systems overloaded, the BlackBerry

phone was one of the few unimpeded

methods of communication that worked

in the aftermath of 9/11.

Information Systems

• Citywide Asset and Logistics Management System

• Unified Victim Identification System

• Situational Awareness for Field Response System

• Next Generation 911

Source:

Vehicles

Mobile CIMS Center

Mobile Data CenterInteragency Command Center

Interagency Communications Vehicle

Mobile Data Center (2003)

Sensors

• Handheld GPS devices

• Seismographic activity, thermal readings

• Structural integrity

• Biometric (portable fingerprint scanner, etc.)

• Chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear (CBRN)

• Motion sensors for traffic, road activity

• Cameras

• Dogs (chemical traces, human survivors)

• Eyes and ears

Open Government

Information Policy

• Road Map for the Digital City

• Outlines City’s plans for

– Access

– Open Government

– Public Engagement

– Industry

Open Data Initiatives

Google Crisis Maps

• Best Practices

– Checklists

– Common Alerting

Protocol

• Tools:

– Public Alerts

– Person Finder

– Custom Maps

– Google Earth

– Fusion Tables

– Docs and Spreadsheets

– Google Sites

App Contests and Hackathons

Emergency Management

Future Needs

Digital Tools and First Responders

• Ease-of-use

• Accuracy of Data

• Interoperability

• Compatibility with legacy systems

“Getting away from the ‘technical

user’ mentality and providing

information through tools/interfaces

that first responders are already

familiar with, i.e. Google Maps,

Google Earth, simple apps, etc.”

--Google Earth consultant

“Metadata isn't as key as immediacy

in emergency situations, and accuracy

is important in as much as it helps

make decisions, but in emergencies,

situations are fluid.”

--NY State DOT Employee

Q. What issues are most pressing in providing digital tools to first responders?

Requirements vs Delivery Gaps

• Simplicity/Ease of use (again)

• Coverage

• Redundancy

“The digital designers frequently

come from a complicated

technical mindset that overloads

on the options. Users want

simplicity and familiarity.”

--Google Earth Consultant

Q. Please comment on any gaps between the requirements of digital

applications for first responders and what is delivered by digital designers?

Role of Information Architecture

• Do not employ IAs.

• Employ people who do IA tasks.

“We don't have staff with that title,

but many in engineering and IT that

do attempt to influence it, with a lot

of chaos as a result.”

--MTA Design Manager

“Yes, we employ IAs... broadly

speaking, we have back-end systems

GIS folks who clean up and produce

the RSDA tool, and front-line GIS

folks who report the data, and

produce maps for first-responders.”

--NY State DOT Employee

Q. Please comment on the role of Information Architecture in your practice.

Enhancing Geospatial Applications

• Infrastructure Layer Integration: visualizing water, sewer, electric steam, gas, telecommunications, transit, etc.

• Building Information Management: visualizing building infrastructure and security

• Crowd Sourced Data: engaging the public to provide data to support emergency operations

• Field Data Collection and Communications: On-the-scene data collection by first responders across many agencies

• Common Operating Picture/Situational Awareness: Ability to access and share data in real time across wide geographic areas

Mashup Applications

• Integrating social media with maps and sensors– USGS Earthquake TED system

uses Twitter

– Machine readable Twitter hashtags

• Organizing response via social media– Times Picayune’s Katrina

bulletin board

– Red Cross Joplin Tornado project on Facebook

– OEM Facebook updates

• Handheld applications– Inventory, geolocation

– Language translation

Tweak the Tweet: proposed by

Karen Starbird, PhD student at

University of Colorado, 2009

“Random Hacks of Kindness”

conference was put to use in Haiti.

White Paper, “The Case for Integrating Crisis

Response with Social Media, ” Red Cross

Managing Expectations

• Data format - Does it work with your system? Is the data in a standard format or will it need to be converted for interoperablity?

• Definitions - Make sure the vocabulary used by the data source matches up with your understanding and use. Acronyms and codes can be confusing.

• Licensing - Are there restrictions on how the data can be used or whether it can be shared?

• Cost – Are you prepared for cost of data security and maintenance? Can you economize?

• Users – Do users understand appropriate uses? Do you take into account all uses?

Associations

• Information Architecture Institute

http://iainstitute.org

• Information Architecture Summit

http://iasummit.org

• Usability Professionals

http://upaassoc.org

• Interaction Design Association

http://www.ixda.org

• GISMO

http://www.geography.hunter.edu/gismo

Meetup.com

• The New York City Information Architecture Meetup

• New York Data Visualization and Infographics

• ESRI Dev Meetup

• NY Location-Based Apps Meetup

• NYC OpenStreetMap Enthusiasts

• NYC User Experience Meetup

• NY Tech Meetup

Thank You!

• noreenwhysel@hotmail.com

• http://nwhysel.blogspot.com

• @nwhysel on Twitter