Mobilizing digital communities for disaster preparation
When disasters happen, communities need reliable ways to share information and mobilize resources. My research explores how social media sites can function as “digital safety nets” to strengthen community resilience before, during, and after disasters. I conducted 4 online focus groups to understand how individuals and communities use social media to prepare for disasters. By analyzing these insights alongside existing literature, I developed design recommendations for social media sites as tools for community based disaster preparedness.
While this project was initially conceived as my undergrad honors thesis, I worked with my advisor, Dr. Jennifer Gibbs, to refine these findings into a research paper that was accepted for publication at CHI, one of the most prestigious conferences for human-computer interaction.
Role
Lead Researcher
Timeline
Sept 2019 - May 2021
Conference
CHI 2021
Research Insights
Preference for social media over official sources
“The news outlets were probably the least helpful because they got updates very randomly ... It was mainly talking to friends and family and neighbors that gave you the most updated information.”
Crowdsourcing help and support on social networks
“Sometimes people would post about it on their stories. And then I would swipe up and ask them questions, make sure they're okay. Or even myself, if I posted about it, I know other people would often reach out.”
Social media connects geographically dispersed users
“Our area was not under mandatory evacuation, so I still knew people in the area, and I was checking in a lot with them on social media to see how things were going.”
One and two way information sharing
“I feel like Twitter I use more for updates and I don't really post anything or communicate on it with anyone. I just look at it. Whereas I feel like on Instagram, I'm communicating with people.”
Design Recommendations
Information availability
Because disasters are so time sensitive, ensuring easy access to information is critical to decision making. Leveraging familiar tools allows users to turn to their existing social networks to crowdsource information during disasters.
Visual information
Visual information such as photos and videos are easier to digest — which is especially critical during disasters when users need to find information quickly — and can also strengthen the perceived credibility of unofficial information sources on social media.
Information overload
My research suggests that too much information can cause more stress and anxiety and make decision making more difficult for users. This suggests that reducing the amount of available information can reduce decision fatigue during disasters.
