EAGER: Development of a Human Centered Methodology for the Assessment of Wireless Computing Devices Used to Support Communication Flow in High Consequence Emergency Management

在这一项目中，公共信息机构将与加勒比地区的伙伴合作，探讨信息技术在灾害应对中的应用，以便更好地理解在应急准备、管理和缓解的多个阶段中使用信息技术的人的方面。 重点将放在使用无线计算资源，以支持在高后果的应急管理环境中的通信流，因为无线技术被证明是在紧急情况下最具弹性的通信形式。 PI和她的团队将研究灾害管理连续体各个阶段的新兴实践，目标是制定以人为本的原则，以指导无线手持通信设备的选择，应用和评估，以支持应急管理。 PI指出，她对文献的审查显示，没有证据或历史研究表明手持式通信工具的以人为中心的评价，但人是系统中最关键的元素。 PI希望通过本研究，在国际应急管理领域建立有效、安全、准确、便捷的沟通等基本原则。更广泛的影响：本项目将促进我们对应急管理沟通的理解，并为岛国应急管理沟通建模奠定基础。 技术是必不可少的，但如果不采用适当和有效的通信协议，技术可能会变得毫无用处。 因此，研究应急管理中的沟通模式至关重要。PI与巴哈马学院建立了伙伴关系，以制定一项研究计划，为实现研究目标提供环境、资源和专业知识。 此外，该团队还制定了一项计划，将研究转移到课堂上，并为本科生提供研究经验。

In this project the PI will work with partners in the Caribbean to explore the application of information technology in disaster response, in an effort to better understand the human dimension of IT used in multiple phases of emergency preparation, management and mitigation. The focus will be on the use of wireless computing resources to support communication flow in high consequence emergency management environments, because wireless technology is proving to be the most resilient form of communication during emergency situations. The PI and her team will study emerging practices throughout the phases of the disaster management continuum, with the goal of developing human centered principles to guide the selection, application and assessment of wireless hand-held communication devices to support emergency management. The PI notes that her review of the literature has revealed no evidence or history of research on human centric evaluation of hand-held communication tools, yet the human is the most critical element in the system. In this research the PI hopes to establish basic principles relating to issues such as efficiency, safety, accuracy and ease of communication in the international emergency management community.Broader Impacts: The project will advance our understanding of communication in emergency management and will provide a foundation for modeling communication for island nations in emergency management. Technology is essential, but if an appropriate and valid communication protocol is not applied the technology can be rendered useless. Thus, the study of communications models in emergency management is critical. The PI has established a partnership with the College of the Bahamas to develop a research program that provides the environment, resources and expertise to accomplish the research goals. Additionally, the team has developed a plan to transition the research into the classroom as well as into research experiences for undergraduates.