Day 8

1
Day 8 TC520 Technical Communication
SystemsUnderstanding and Improving the Role of
Information Communication Systems (ICS) in
Humanitarian Relief Systems (HRS)

• Professor Mark Haselkorn
• 14E Loew Hall
• 543-2577
• markh_at_u.washington.edu
• http//faculty.washington.edu/markh/TC520/tc520.ht
  ml
• Office Hours Tues/Thurs 1011 AM and by
  appointment

TC 520 Class Notes 2/22Haselkorn Winter 2005
2
Overview for Today Link big ICS themes with our
presentation/paper Work in project teams Share
section strategies and outlines Feedback

• Go over major ICS themes
• Link ICS themes to the section strategies and
  outlines
• Provide examples and references under outline
  topics
• Work in teams to formulate latest section plans
• Present section plans
• Feedback and discussion

TC 520 Class Notes 2/22Haselkorn Winter 2005
3
Questions

• What are the central ICS themes that drive our
  paper?
• How do those themes play out in each section?
• What examples and references will be used to
  demonstrate those themes?
• How will the teams prepare for the presentation?
• Who is responsible for what?
• Where does each team stand right now?
• What feedback can we provide to help guide each
  teams activities over the coming weeks?

TC 520 Class Notes 2/22Haselkorn Winter 2005
4
Upcoming Assignments

• 3/1
• Present draft versions of your section get
  feedback pull it all together, and plan final
  preparations
• 3/8
• Presentations
• 3/14
• Papers due

TC 520 Class Notes 2/15Haselkorn Winter 2005
5
Overall Themes/Tensions for the Paper2/8

• Lack of technology infrastructure
• Diversity, flexibility, individual volunteer
  motivation, non-profit, individual expertise and
  experience
• Short-term, rapid response, project-based funding

• Information ecology
• Increased central coordination (intra inter),
  efficiency, standards, common advocacy,
  accountability, assessment, lessons learned,
  knowledge management
• Long-term, proactive strategy, create
  infrastructure

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
6
Issue Breakdown

• ICS Interdependencies and Complexities (GST,
  technical communication, information ecology,
  user-centered processes, etc.)
• Centralization vs. Localization (efficiency,
  standards, accountability/ flexibility,
  localization, motivation)
• Short-term vs. Long-term (project-based funding,
  rapid response/shared infrastructure, lessons
  learned, knowledge management)

7
ICS Interdependency Complexity

• Need for holistic approach
• Doesnt matter where you enter
• Cant use traditional methods of breaking down
  into constituent parts
• Cant fix individual elements
• Look for commonalities across complex systems

8
ICS Interdependency Complexity

• More perspectives are better (all are valid none
  are identical nor unique)
• Competing perspectives generally represent
  competing goods
• Managing tensions rather than correct vs.
  incorrect

9
ICS Interdependency Complexity

• Biggest issues between functional nodes
• Ownership a critical issue (Who owns the
  strategic space between functional and sector
  responsibilities?)
• Hard for people doing to see bigger system
  issues and interdependencies

10
ICS Interdependency Complexity

• Focus on technology vs. focus on people and
  information and missions and goals

11
Centralization vs. Localization

• Central vs. local funding
• Shared, common systems vs. systems that meet
  local needs
• Central policies vs. local diversity and autonomy
• Central information needs (assessment, tracking,
  accountability) vs. local information needs
  (execution)
• Need for local buy-in and ownership of central
  systems (user-centered design)
• Meeting regulatory requirements and standards vs.
  overcoming regulatory restrictions and barriers
• Capturing and applying institutional knowledge
  vs. effectiveness of individual expertise
• Professionals vs. volunteers
• Presently out of balance on the local side

12
Short-term vs. Long-term

• Project vs. strategic funding
• Doing it now vs. doing it better next time
• Fixing vs. tending
• Execution vs. training
• No time now vs. the certainty of a future event
• Cant address long-term strategic issues while
  responding to short-term immediate needs
• Reacting to a problem vs. dynamic management of
  tensions
• Functional nodes vs. strategic space between
• Focus on technology vs. focus on people and
  information and missions and goals
• Non-strategic environment vs. strategic
  management
• Currently out of balance on the short-term side

13
"We need to change the way we support the
critical and courageous humanitarian relief
sector. We need to empower its organizations and
people, invest in their education, conduct
research that provides them with better tools and
techniques, and support the development of human
and technology infrastructure that will enable
workers to not only conduct their complex work
this time, but do it better the next." 
           --from "Improving Humanitarian Relief
for the Next Big Disaster" (Seattle Times,
January 14, 2005)
14
I. Introduction (Mark)II. Inter-Agency   A.
ICS for HR. Why it's important and how to do it.
(Lori)   B. ICS management in support of
inter-agency coordination. (Lusi)   C. ICS
management in support of inter-agency strategic
planning/preparedness/infrastructure/funding.
(Anthony) III. Intra-Agency   A. ICS
Management for addressing centralization/localizat
ion issues. Also related work force issues.
(Colin)   B. ICS Management for addressing
long-term strategic/short-term response issues.
Preparedness/training/knowledge management and
culture/infrastructure (Lorna)IV. Interacting
with the HR Environment   A. ICS in support of
interaction with the donor community.
(Troy)   B. ICS in support of interaction with
governments and recipients. (Ario)V.
Conclusions/QA (Mark)