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1
Day 6 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 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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Overview for Today Work on report in project
teams

• Overview of the paper and three topic areas
• Common themes across all three topic areas
• Sub-topics and organization
• Project management plan
• Team activity
• Report out

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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Questions

• What is the purpose of our presentation and
  paper?
• What are the common themes and conclusions that
  carry across all three topic areas?
• What are the topics and sub-topics in support of
  those themes?
• How will the paper be organized?
• How will the teams and overall project be
  managed?
• Who is responsible for what?
• How will we use the BB?

TC 520 Class Notes 2/1Haselkorn Winter 2005
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Upcoming Assignments

• 2/15
• Present progress reports and incorporate feedback
• 2/22
• Team activities and progress
• 3/1
• Pull it all together, go over presentations, give
  feedback, and give time for final preparations
• 3/8
• Presentations
• 3/14
• Papers due

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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Purpose

• The purpose of this paper is to point the
  humanitarian relief sector towards a strategy of
  policy, action and funding that will enable
  relief organizations to better learn from past
  disaster response efforts and to take better
  advantage of those lessons. This strategy is
  discussed in three interrelated areas (1) within
  NGOs and other relief agencies (intra-agency),
  (2) across NGOs and other relief agencies
  (inter-agency), and (3) interactions between
  humanitarian systems and their environments (e.g.
  political, cultural, geographical, sector). Our
  goal is to support the development of a human and
  technology infrastructure that enables relief
  workers to not only conduct their complex work
  this time, but do it better the next.

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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Environments
Inter-agency
Inter-agency
Intra-agency
TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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Intra-agency(within NGOs and other relief
agencies)

• UN example
• http//depts.washington.edu/iphr/Research/KenyaPre
  sentation.ppt
• Centralization vs. Localization
• Central guidance vs. local diversity
• Impact on ICS
• Short-term vs. Long-term Strategies
• Project funding vs. common infrastructure
• Impact on ICS

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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Inter-agency(across NGOs and other relief
agencies)

• UN/NGO example
• Cooperation vs. Competition
• Efficiencies vs. Independence
• Agency specializations and cultures

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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Interactions between humanitarian systems and
their environments(e.g. political, cultural,
geographical, sector)

• Regulations
• Sovereignty political agendas
• War (land mines)
• Logistical barriers
• Appropriateness for culture
• NGO sector trends
• Demand for greater accountability
• Need for greater security

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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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

• 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
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Common Conclusions about Humanitarian Relief
Systems

• Need ICS focused not on technology but on how
  people use information to accomplish their goals.
  This can help HROs overcome communication and
  logistical barriers.
• Need for increased central coordination
  (without sacrificing what motivates individual
  volunteers and non-profit organizations)
• Need for standards (within diversity)
• Need for proactive strategy (in support of
  reactive operations/emergency responseflexible
  but not ad hoc)

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005
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More conclusions

• Need for better advocacy
• Need for better accountability and assessment
• Need for knowledge management and dissemination
  of lessons learnedmoving from being primarily a
  doing organization to equally being a
  knowledge organization

TC 520 Class Notes 2/8Haselkorn Winter 2005