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Assessing the Usability of Near-Real-Time Earthquake Information for Supporting Impacted Communities

Description: 

Following an earthquake, near-real-time information provides valuable data on potential impacts like economic losses and fatalities to the public and decision-makers in the emergency management, humanitarian, finance, and other sectors. However, earthquake impact information is often designed without formal user input or a focus on impacted communities, resulting in information that is not necessarily suited for a variety of disaster management decisions. In this research, we investigated user needs for disaggregated risk metrics. Following initial focus groups with a broad set of users from various sectors, we developed a mockup showing additional metrics of exposure and loss that highlight impacted communities in a way that supports users’ tasks. We then used an earthquake scenario with a targeted group of users to gain feedback on the mockup through a usability testing workshop. Workshop participants included nine emergency managers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), the American Red Cross, and Innovative Emergency Management. Following qualitative analysis, workshop results revealed that disaggregated risk metrics could support emergency managers’ tasks following an earthquake disaster. More broadly, this research highlights how a human-centered design process can create meaningful interactions with stakeholders who can ultimately use products to support impacted communities after future earthquakes.

Session: Adventures in Social Seismology: Ethical Engagement, Earthquake Early Warnings, Operational Forecasts, and Beyond [Poster]

Type: Poster

Date: 4/15/2025

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Marísa

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: 

Poster Number: 124

Authors