Week 2

1
Week 2 TC520 Technical Communication Systems
Understanding and Improving the Role of
Information Communication Systems (ICS) in
Disaster Response and Management (DRM)

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

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2006
2
Overview for Today

• Review syllabus, assignments
• Introduction to General Systems Theory
• GST reading and discussion
• Presentation and discussion of ideas from
  Davenport reading

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2005
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For Wednesday

• For 1/11
• VisitorEric Berg, LINGOs
• Formation of teams
• Read
• Ambiguity and Change Humanitarian NGOs Prepare
  for the Future.
• Humanitarian Logistics Enabling Disaster
  Response.

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2006
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Reminder of major class project

• Complete a research project that contributes to
  ongoing efforts on emergency capacity building in
  the humanitarian relief sector
• Form teams by January 11th
• Pick projects by January 25th
• Develop projects by February 8th
• Conduct projects by February 22nd
• Present outcomes by March 8th
• Employ five teams of three members each (?)
• Use a different team leader for phases 2 4
  (leader for phase 5 picked by the group)

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What is the overall class plan?

• Week 1 Introduction begin to develop a
  theoretical perspective on systems
• Week 2 Systems and complexity ICS TC systems
  ECB systems introduction to HR sector form
  teams
• Week 3 ICS issues in ECB ECB in the HR sector
• Week 4 HR sector needs lessons from previous
  efforts research to address HR ECB needs pick
  topics
• Week 5 Explore research topics
• Week 6 Develop research activities present
  work plan
• Week 7 Explore intellectual merit and impact
  issues
• Week 8 Explore tentative results and
  communication issues complete research
  activities
• Week 9 Proposal presentations and feedback
• Week 10 Proposal presentations and
  feedback/Wrap Up
• March 13 Final Project Reports Due

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2006
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Upcoming Assignments

• For 1/16
• Martin Luther King DayNo class
• For 1/18
• Read
• Challenges to the Effective use of Information
  and Communication Systems in Humanitarian Relief
  Efforts
• An Ill Wind? The Role of Accessible ICT
  following Hurricane Katrina.
• An Evaluation of Humanitarian Information
  Centers.
• Review proposals from last quarters class
• Team presentations--_at_ 7 minutes plus 2 minutes
  QA Three ECB problems involving ICS and
  initial thinking on how research could help
  address them.
• For 1/23
• Read
• Lessons from the Tsunami Top Line Findings
• Joint After-Action Review of our Humanitarian
  Response to the Tsunami Crisis.
• HURRICANE KATRINA Providing Oversight of the
  Nations Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
  Activities.
• For 1/25
• Read
• The State and Civil Society in Disaster
  Response An Analysis of the Tamil Nadu Tsunami
  Experience.
• Team presentations--_at_ 5 minutes plus 2 minutes
  QA Proposed group research topic.

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System Questions

• What is a system?
• What are open and closed systems?
• What determines the complexity of a system?
• What is general systems theory?
• How can we use GST to think about ICS for ECB?

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2006
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What is a system?

• Easy answer
• Hard answer

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2006
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What is a system?

• Easy answer the story behind how something
  happens (e.g. why the house gets warmer when you
  turn on the thermostat)
• Hard answer What isnt a system? Where does
  one end and another begin? (e.g. ask people to
  use less power in order to spend less, but rates
  go up)

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2005
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What are open and closed systems?

• Closed if you understand the parts you
  understand the system probably not a critical
  human element
• Open the system is greater than the sum of the
  parts critical human elements interaction with
  the environment difficult to draw a line where
  the system ends and other systems or environments
  begin
• System of systems

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What is general systems theory?

• General Systems Theory, Ludwig von Bertalanffy,
  1969 (compiles work published as far back as
  1939)
• In-class reading and discussion

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2006
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What determines the complexity of a system?

• Number of elements
• Interrelationship of elements
• Interrelationship of system with other systems
• Interrelationship of system with environment
• Completeness of system knowledge
• Completeness of environmental knowledge
• Multiplicity and impact of perspectives
• Extent of human element
• Reality as perception
• Unpredictability

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2006
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What does GST tell us about analyzing ICS in ECB?

• Focus on interrelationships among elements
• Focus on interrelationships with environment and
  other systems
• Focus on the human and organizational elements
• Focus on interacting, multiple perspectives

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Next

• Move from GST to ICS

TC 520 Class NotesHaselkorn Autumn 2006