Information system in crisis

The role of technology in crisis and emergency response

organizations has drastically changed in the last ten years.
Many of the challenges faced today are the results of
organizational changes involving a move to more
sophisticated technological platforms intended to improve
existing work practices. Crisis and emergency response is
also an area where lack of information has for a long time
been a key ingredient. This notion still resides, even
though much more information is available today.
However, we believe the current information practice has
much more potential. This chapter is an attempt to present
and discuss possibilities for current and future information
environments, and how these could be designed to better
support ongoing work activities, organization, and situation
awareness. The chapter presents insights into how key
information sources such as verbal and visual information
can be captured, stored, and used. It also discusses key
components of an information environment.
Key information sources
Information can come from virtually anywhere — media,
blogs, personal experiences, books, journal and magazine
articles, expert opinions, encyclopedias, and web pages
— and the type of information you need will change
 depending on the question you are trying to answer. Look
at the following sources of information. Notice the
similarities between them.
1. Magazine
A magazine is a collection of articles and images about diverse
topics of popular interest and current events. Usually these
articles are written by journalists or scholars and are geared
toward the average adult. Magazines may cover very "serious"
material, but to find consistent scholarly information, you should
use journals.
 to find information or opinions about popular culture
 to find up-to-date information about current events
 to find general articles for people who are not necessarily
specialists about the topic
 National Geographic
 Sports Illustrated

2. Academic journal
A journal is a collection of articles usually written by scholars in
an academic or professional field. An editorial board reviews
articles to decide whether they should be accepted. Articles in
journals can cover very specific topics or narrow fields of
research.
 when doing scholarly research
 to find out what has been studied on your topic
 to find bibliographies that point to other relevant research
 Example
 Journal of Communication
 The Historian
 Journal of the American Medical Association

3. Database
A database contains citations of articles in magazines, journals,
and newspapers. They may also contain citations to podcasts,
blogs, videos, and other media types. Some databases contain
abstracts or brief summaries of the articles, while other
databases contain complete, full-text articles.
 when you want to find articles on your topic in magazines,
journals or newspapers
 Academic Search Complete (a general database)
 Compendex (an engineering database)
 ABI/Inform (a business database)

4. Newspapers
A newspaper is a collection of articles about current events
usually published daily. Since there is at least one in every city,
it is a great source for local information.
 to find current information about international, national and
local events
 to find editorials, commentaries, expert or popular opinions
Example
 Roanoke Times
 New York Times
 The Kathmandu post

5. Addison
A library catalog is an organized and searchable collection of
records of every item in a library and can be found on the library
home page. The catalog will point you to the location of a
particular source, or group of sources, that the library owns on
your topic.
 to find out what items the library owns on your topic
 to find where a specific item is located in the library
Virginia Tech's library catalog is called Addison.

6. Books
Books cover virtually any topic, fact or fiction. For research
purposes, you will probably be looking for books that synthesize
all the information on one topic to support a particular argument
or thesis.
 when looking for lots of information on a topic
 to put your topic in context with other important issues
 to find historical information
 to find summaries of research to support an argument
 Nash, Gary B. ed. The American People: Creating a Nation and
a Society, 1990.
 Silverstone, Roger, ed. Visions of Suburbia,1997.
 Smith, J. T. Roman Villas: A Study in Social Structure, 1997

7. Encyclopedia
Encyclopedias are collections of short, factual entries often
written by different contributors who are knowledgeable about
the topic.
There are two types of encyclopedias: general and subject.
General encyclopedias provide concise overviews on a wide
variety of topics. Subject encyclopedias contain in-depth entries
focusing on one field of study.
 when looking for background information on a topic
 when trying to find key ideas, important dates or concepts
 African-American Encyclopedia(subject encyclopedia)
 Encyclopedia Americana(general encyclopedia)
 World Book(general encyclopedia found online)
 Gale encyclopedia of genetic disorders(subject encyclopedia
found online)

8. Web site
The Web allows you to access most types of information on the
Internet through a browser. One of the main features of the Web
is the ability to quickly link to other related information. The
Web contains information beyond plain text, including sounds,
images, and video.
The important thing to do when using information on the
Internet is to know how to evaluate it!
 to find current information
 to find information about companies
 to find information from all levels of government - federal to
local
 to find both expert and popular opinions
 to find information about hobbies and personal interests
 lcweb.loc.gov (The Library of Congress)
 wikipedia.org (a wiki)
 www.vt.edu (Virginia Tech
 Information systems
Information is an increment in knowledge: it contributes to the
general framework of concepts and facts that we know.
Information relies on the context and the recipient's general
knowledge for its significance.
Data are only the raw facts, the material for obtaining
information. Information systems use data stored in computer
databases to provide needed information. A database is an
organized collection of interrelated data reflecting a major
aspect of a firm's activities.
1. Information systems capture data from the organization
(internal data) and its environment (external data).
2. They store the database items over an extensive period of
time.
3. When specific information is needed, the appropriate data
items are manipulated as necessary, and the user receives the
resulting information.
4. Depending on the type of information system, the information
output may take the form a query response, decision outcome,
expert-system advice, transaction document, or a report.
Formal information systems rely on procedures (established and
accepted by organizational practice) for collecting, storing,
manipulating, and accessing data in order to obtain information.
Formal systems do not have to be computerized, but today they
usually are. Informal information systems also exist within an
organization (interpersonal networking, water cooler gossip,
etc.).

An information system is a specific type of system in general. A

system is a set of components (subsystems) that operate together
to achieve certain objectives. The objectives of a system are
realized in its outputs. In particular, the objective of an
information system is to provide the appropriate outputs to the
members of the organization.
Fundamental Components of Information Systems
Information systems consist of the following general
components:
1. Hardware
2. Software
3. Databases
4. Human resources
5. Procedures

1. Hardware
Multiple computer systems: microcomputers, minicomputers,
mainframes, together with their peripherals. Computer system
components are: a central processor(s), memory hierarchy, input
and output devices.
Computer processor: The central processor carries out the
instructions of a program, translated into a simple form.
Memories: Included in a computer system form a hierarchy.
They range from the fast electronic units, such as the main
memory, to the slower secondary storage devices such as
magnetic disks.
Moore's Law The increases in the number of transistors on chips
correspond to the increase in the microprocessor speed and
memory capacity, and thus the growth of the processing power.
Downsizing In information systems, transferring some or all of
the organization;s computing from centralized processing on
mainframes or minicomputers to systems built around
networked microcomputers (often in a client/server
configuration).
2. Software
Computer software falls into two classes: systems software and
applications software.
Systems Software: Manage the resources of the computer
system and simplifies programming. An operating system is the
principal system software. It manages all the resources of a
computer system and provides an interface through which the
system's user can deploy these resources.
Application Software: Are programs that directly assist end
users in doing their work. They are purchased as ready-to-use
packages. Applications software directly assists end users in
doing their work.
3. Databases
Databases are organized collections of interrelated data used by
applications software. Databases are managed by systems
software known as database management systems (DBMS) and
shared by multiple applications.
4. Telecommunications
Telecommunications are the means of electronic transmission of
information over distances. Today, computer systems are
usually interconnected into telecommunications networks.
Various network configurations are possible, depending upon an
organization's need. These include:
1. Local area networks (LAN)
2. Metropolitan area networks (MAN)
3. Wide area networks (WAN)
A Network Information System: Three-Tier Architecture:
1. Mainframe computer as the top-level machine
2. Several minicomputers or powerful microcomputers in the
middle level.
3. End -users in the third tier.
1. Users' microcomputers (clients) share the more powerful
machines (servers)
2. Each server is dedicated to a particular task i.e., it is providing
a certain service
3. The client machines provide the user interface that makes it
easy to use the facilities of the network.
4. When needed, the software running on the client calls
remotely upon the software running on the server to perform its
task, to access the specified data from a database.
5. Human Resources
Professional information systems personnel include
development and maintenance managers, systems analysts,
programmers, and operators, often with highly specialized skills.
End users are the people who use information systems or their
information outputs, that is, the majority of people in today's
organizations. The hallmark of the present stage in
organizational computing is the involvement of end users in the
development of information systems. End-user computing, or
control of their information systems by end users and the
development of systems by end users, has become an important
contributor to information systems in organizations.
6. Procedures
Procedures are the policies and methods to be followed in using,
operating, and maintaining an information system.
Specifications for the use, operation, and maintenance of
information systems, collected in help facilities, user manuals,
operator manuals, and similar documents, frequently delivered
in an electronic form.