Periodic Reporting for period 2 - LINKS (Strengthening links between technologies and society for european disaster resilience)
Reporting period: 2021-06-01 to 2022-11-30
Social media and crowdsourcing (SMCS) are increasingly being used in disaster risk management for improved information gathering and collaboration across European communities. The effectiveness of SMCS on European disaster resilience, however, remains unclear owing to the social, institutional and technological diversity across Europe. The challenge faced by first responders, public authorities, citizens and other relevant stakeholders, is the absence of collective knowledge for effectively understanding and applying social media and crowdsourcing for improved disaster resilience under diverse conditions.
The overall objective of LINKS is to strengthen links between technologies and society for improved European disaster resilience, by producing sustainable advanced learning on the use of SMCS in disasters. We define sustainable advanced learning as a maintainable and evolving collection of knowledge produced for and by relevant stakeholders.
From this point of departure, LINKS set out to achieve four core objectives:
O1: Produce sustainable advanced learning on SMCS in disasters.
O2: Achieve a consolidated understanding of SMCS in disasters.
O3: Govern the diversity around SMCS in disasters.
O4: Bring multidisciplinary stakeholders together around the uses of SMCS in disasters.
To achieve these objectives, LINKS conducts research involving local partners and participants in five European cases. The cases represent different hazard scenarios (earthquakes, flooding, industrial hazards, terrorism, drought) in four countries (Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands). The research feeds into the project’s main outputs:
1) The LINKS Framework consisting of useful products for different stakeholders.
2) The LINKS Community, consisting of multidisciplinary stakeholders, dedicated to improving European disaster resilience through the use of SMCS.
3) The LINKS Community Center, the online interface for stakeholders within the LINKS Community to access and contribute knowledge to the LINKS Framework.
The overall objective of LINKS is to strengthen links between technologies and society for improved European disaster resilience, by producing sustainable advanced learning on the use of SMCS in disasters. We define sustainable advanced learning as a maintainable and evolving collection of knowledge produced for and by relevant stakeholders.
From this point of departure, LINKS set out to achieve four core objectives:
O1: Produce sustainable advanced learning on SMCS in disasters.
O2: Achieve a consolidated understanding of SMCS in disasters.
O3: Govern the diversity around SMCS in disasters.
O4: Bring multidisciplinary stakeholders together around the uses of SMCS in disasters.
To achieve these objectives, LINKS conducts research involving local partners and participants in five European cases. The cases represent different hazard scenarios (earthquakes, flooding, industrial hazards, terrorism, drought) in four countries (Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands). The research feeds into the project’s main outputs:
1) The LINKS Framework consisting of useful products for different stakeholders.
2) The LINKS Community, consisting of multidisciplinary stakeholders, dedicated to improving European disaster resilience through the use of SMCS.
3) The LINKS Community Center, the online interface for stakeholders within the LINKS Community to access and contribute knowledge to the LINKS Framework.
During the first reporting period (M1-M12), LINKS submitted all foreseen deliverables and completed its first milestone which included:
• Developing three key knowledge bases and methodologies.
• Establishing the work plans, strategies and first concepts for the LINKS Framework, LINKS Cases, LINKS Community Center, and LINKS Community.
• Developing a comprehensive Ethical and Societal Impact Strategy.
• Developing a Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication Strategy.
The main focus during this period was establishing the conceptual foundations for the project. This involved the development of the three LINKS knowledge bases on Disaster Risk Perception and Vulnerability (DRVP), Disaster Management Processes (DMP), Disaster Community Technologies (DCT), and the methodological approaches for studying the knowledge bases in relation to social media and crowdsourcing (SMCS).
During the second reporting period (M13-M30), LINKS applied the methodologies in the LINKS Cases. The project shifted to a more user-centric approach, working with the practitioners and participants in the local cases to assess and develop the LINKS Framework and to build the LINKS Community. The results from the first case assessments were analysed and fed into the first and second versions of Framework, which now includes tangible products accessible through the LINKS Community Center. These include:
• SMCS Technologies Library
• SMCS Guidelines Library
• SMCS Use Cases Library
• Including Citizens Handbook
• Feel Safe (Educational Toolkit)
• Resilience Wheel
The full products descriptions can be found at https://links-project.eu/results/. The Framework products continues to be assessed, improved, and implemented in the cases, as well as in the broader EU community, through ongoing activities with different stakeholder groups. The LINKS Community Center (LCC) have been used to facilitate this process, the final demonstrator was achieve in this period. A comprehensive plan for the exploitation of the Framework has been established in this period with the assistance from the EU Horizon Booster service. In the coming period LINKS will monitor and refine the exploitation plan with product owners in the project, and continue with the next module services for the Booster. Finally LINKS worked in this period on building a strong community of 300+ interested stakeholders in the project results, through workshop in the cases, and various activities/events with externals communities such as the DRS01 cluster, CERIS, and EFDRR.
• Developing three key knowledge bases and methodologies.
• Establishing the work plans, strategies and first concepts for the LINKS Framework, LINKS Cases, LINKS Community Center, and LINKS Community.
• Developing a comprehensive Ethical and Societal Impact Strategy.
• Developing a Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication Strategy.
The main focus during this period was establishing the conceptual foundations for the project. This involved the development of the three LINKS knowledge bases on Disaster Risk Perception and Vulnerability (DRVP), Disaster Management Processes (DMP), Disaster Community Technologies (DCT), and the methodological approaches for studying the knowledge bases in relation to social media and crowdsourcing (SMCS).
During the second reporting period (M13-M30), LINKS applied the methodologies in the LINKS Cases. The project shifted to a more user-centric approach, working with the practitioners and participants in the local cases to assess and develop the LINKS Framework and to build the LINKS Community. The results from the first case assessments were analysed and fed into the first and second versions of Framework, which now includes tangible products accessible through the LINKS Community Center. These include:
• SMCS Technologies Library
• SMCS Guidelines Library
• SMCS Use Cases Library
• Including Citizens Handbook
• Feel Safe (Educational Toolkit)
• Resilience Wheel
The full products descriptions can be found at https://links-project.eu/results/. The Framework products continues to be assessed, improved, and implemented in the cases, as well as in the broader EU community, through ongoing activities with different stakeholder groups. The LINKS Community Center (LCC) have been used to facilitate this process, the final demonstrator was achieve in this period. A comprehensive plan for the exploitation of the Framework has been established in this period with the assistance from the EU Horizon Booster service. In the coming period LINKS will monitor and refine the exploitation plan with product owners in the project, and continue with the next module services for the Booster. Finally LINKS worked in this period on building a strong community of 300+ interested stakeholders in the project results, through workshop in the cases, and various activities/events with externals communities such as the DRS01 cluster, CERIS, and EFDRR.
SMCS strategies and technologies, when taking into account diversity among European communities, can provide a window of opportunity to govern disasters more efficiently and inclusively. However, the LINKS results suggest that there are massive differences in terms of accessibility, connectivity and mobility to digital spaces within all phases of disaster risk management (DRM). This is further complicated by disinformation and misinformation. Moreover we find that at there is a strong interest by DMOs for engaging with SMCS in disaster management processes, but a general lack of:
• Good/best practices and procedures among institutions in Europe, on how to use SMCS in efficient ways.
• Relevant and easy-to-use guidelines on implementing SMCS in disaster management processes.
• Understanding of the potentials, and guidance on how to include citizens in disaster management processes.
• A comprehensive and understandable overview of existing solutions/technologies.
Taking these results into account, LINKS has worked to create a LINKS Framework which supports capacity development of DMOs and other relevant actors including businesses, decision makers, citizens and researchers, for the use of SMCS in DRM. The Framework is accessible to all stakeholders through the online LINKS Community Center. It plays a critical role in combining knowledge, experience, and good practices into tangible products for applying SMCS in DRM, and thereby contributes to strengthening resilience at local levels. LINKS maintains a grounded approach to the activities and results in the project, developing strong relationships with the practitioners and other stakeholders involved in our work. By strengthening connections and collaborations among partners and external stakeholders we ensure that the projects impacts are maximised through its end users.
• Good/best practices and procedures among institutions in Europe, on how to use SMCS in efficient ways.
• Relevant and easy-to-use guidelines on implementing SMCS in disaster management processes.
• Understanding of the potentials, and guidance on how to include citizens in disaster management processes.
• A comprehensive and understandable overview of existing solutions/technologies.
Taking these results into account, LINKS has worked to create a LINKS Framework which supports capacity development of DMOs and other relevant actors including businesses, decision makers, citizens and researchers, for the use of SMCS in DRM. The Framework is accessible to all stakeholders through the online LINKS Community Center. It plays a critical role in combining knowledge, experience, and good practices into tangible products for applying SMCS in DRM, and thereby contributes to strengthening resilience at local levels. LINKS maintains a grounded approach to the activities and results in the project, developing strong relationships with the practitioners and other stakeholders involved in our work. By strengthening connections and collaborations among partners and external stakeholders we ensure that the projects impacts are maximised through its end users.