Systems scientists find digital solutions in times of crisis
This autumn's new students on the Systems Science programme took part in a workshop last week on digital information systems in crises. The task was to develop digital solutions for information in the event of war in Gothenburg.
During the introductory course in the Systems Science: Digitalisation of Society programme, this autumn’s students have been working in workshops to solve various problems relating to total defence. Jonas Landgren, associate professor at the Department of Applied Information Technology, is teaching the course. In last week’s workshop, he set the students the task of devising digital solutions to disseminate information and help people reach shelters in the event of war in Gothenburg. The students worked together in groups. Focusing on different target groups, they carried out interviews and then devised a solution. We spoke to some of the students who took part in the workshop.
How will we respond during a crisis?
Thyra Elm and Josephine Midhage, and their workshop group, are looking into how people find their way to air-raid shelters and respond when an alarm sounds.
What have you chosen to work on?
– We’re looking into whether people know what to do if war breaks out and how to get to a shelter. We’ve been asked to choose different target groups, and our focus includes, amongst others, older people and those who aren’t very familiar with Gothenburg.
What challenges do you see?
– The human factor. When an alarm goes off, you might not think of yourself first, but want to get in touch with your family. You might think you’ve got time to fetch the dog or ring your dad. How do you get people to understand the seriousness of the situation and look after themselves first?
– We’ve never experienced anything like this before. You can think hypothetically, ‘I’ll do this’, but you don’t know how you’ll actually react when something happens.
How can a systems scientist contribute to solutions?
– Through what we’re doing now: interviewing people, testing prototypes and investigating what works.
Many people don’t know where to go
What do you do if an alarm goes off whilst you’re at work or visiting an unfamiliar town? Edvard Boson and Casper Henriksson’s group want to develop a digital solution for this.
What have you chosen to work on?
– We’ve chosen to focus on tourists, people at work and older people. We’ve discussed this as a group and interviewed people about how they would react.
What have you observed in the interviews?
– Generally speaking, people don’t know where to go. Many have an idea of what to do when they’re at home – for example, heading for a cellar or a place far from ground level with thick walls. But if they’re at work or in a different town, it becomes more difficult. Do you know where the nearest shelter is in that case?
What might your solution be?
– We’re considering a fairly simple app with information on how to act. It could be supplemented with text messages and notifications containing instructions, for example on what to do if you can’t get to a shelter.
– Another important aspect is finding solutions that work offline. The idea is that people should be able to access the information they need even when circumstances – such as internet access – change.
How does it feel to be working on this issue?
– It’s a highly relevant problem, and it’s really interesting to hear what others think and feel about these issues.
When do you know the danger is over?
Where is the nearest shelter – and when is it safe to go outside again? Saga Thunes and Ronja Fuentes find the same questions cropping up in their interviews.
What have you chosen to work on?
– We’ve just completed our interviews and are now discussing some sort of app for communication during a crisis or war, how people can find their way to safe places and receive information as events unfold.
Which question comes up most often?
– In the interviews, we see the same questions recurring. What has happened? How do I know it’s safe? When can I leave? Where is the nearest shelter? And how do you know when it’s safe again? Many people also think they should head to a hospital, such as Sahlgrenska, because they assume there are shelters there.
What might your solution be?
– We’ve been thinking about push notifications that are based on your location and show you where to go. There could also be a platform where public authorities regularly publish information from a reliable source. There, you’d be able to see the nearest civil defence shelter, how to get there and what you need to know.
What is the most difficult aspect of this task?
– The fact that we don’t know what the circumstances will be if something happens. Will there be internet access? Will mobile phones work? We don’t know, and that makes it difficult to know which solution will work.
Volunteers can help others reach shelters
Karin Prawitz’s workshop group examines how people who find it difficult to get to a shelter on their own could be helped by volunteers.
What have you chosen to work on?
– We’re focusing on people who can’t get to a shelter on their own or who have special needs, such as someone looking after a large group of children. The idea is that volunteers should be able to help them.
How willing do you think people are to help others in a crisis?
– In the interviews, many people say they’d be happy to help. At the same time, you don’t know how you’ll react when something actually happens. You might freeze up yourself. But many say that as long as it doesn’t put their own lives at risk, they’d be willing to help others.
What might your solution be?
– We’re inspired by the ‘SMS Lifesaver’ app. If someone nearby needs help getting to a shelter, volunteers on the app could receive a message and choose to accept or decline. They would then receive information about the person’s location and where the shelter is.
And what if the internet goes down?
– Then we’d have to think in analogue terms too. We talk a lot about the interplay between analogue and digital. Digital technology cannot completely replace analogue.
