Working and sustaining the virtual "Disaster Desk"

Authors:
Kate Starbird;Leysia Palen
Affiliations:
University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA;University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Venue:
Proceedings of the 2013 conference on Computer supported cooperative work
Year:
2013

Citing 3
Cited 4

Introduction to the Special Issue: Communication Processes for Virtual Organizations

Organization Science
"Voluntweeters": self-organizing by digital volunteers in times of crisis

Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Design and implementation of a data analytics infrastructure in support of crisis informatics research (NIER track)

Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference on Software Engineering

Delivering patients to sacré coeur: collective intelligence in digital volunteer communities

Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Digital mobilization in disaster response: the work & self-organization of on-line pet advocates in response to hurricane sandy

Proceedings of the 17th ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work & social computing
Understanding employee social media chatter with enterprise social pulse

Proceedings of the 17th ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work & social computing
Designing for the deluge: understanding & supporting the distributed, collaborative work of crisis volunteers

Proceedings of the 17th ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work & social computing

Quantified Score

Hi-index	0.00

Visualization

Abstract

Humanity Road is a volunteer organization working within the domain of disaster response. The organization is entirely virtual, relying on ICT to both organize and execute its work of helping to inform the public on how to survive after disaster events. This paper follows the trajectory of Humanity Road from an emergent group to a formal non-profit, considering how its articulation, conduct and products of work together express its identity and purpose, which include aspirations of relating to and changing the larger ecosystem of emergency response. Through excerpts of its communications, we consider how the organization makes changes in order to sustain itself in rapid-response work supported in large part by episodic influxes of volunteers. This case enlightens discussion about technology-supported civic participation, and the means by which dedicated long-term commitment to the civic sphere is mobilized.