Coordinated Data Scramble
The Coordinated Data Scramble (CDS) helps to shape a common situational awareness through procedures designed to improve sharing of data during emergencies. It involves establishing a Digital Collaborative Space to facilitate:
- Community Building and Open Collaboration - enabling open, immediate and dynamic conversations during emergency response, using tools such as Skype and Slack
- Effective use of tools to support collaboration - such as Google Spreadsheets and Trello
The CDS also involves pre-emergency planning and collaboration to help identify:
- Who the decision makers are
- What key questions decision makers need answers to
- What data (& analytical techniques) are needed to help inform the answers to these questions
- What tools and techniques can be used to monitor the timely availability of information, and to improve access to this information
When to use the Coordinated Data Scramble
The Coordinated Data Scramble can be activated just before, and just after an emergency event. To function most effectively it requires internet connectivity, but some components of the work could be done without connectivity.
The CDS will function most effectively if work is done before an emergency to identify who should be involved, which tools should be used, what the priority activities should be etc.
Who to involve
The CDS is designed to be open and collaborative and there is no set group of people who need to be involved. However, it will function most effectively if it involves both in-country and remote responders, with representatives from all UN, NGO, and local responders.
Steps to conduct a CDS (high level steps, Detailed steps, tips)
| Step | Step Details | Tips |
| 1. Identify a collaborative communication platform | A common communication platform will be needed to provide a focal point for coordination of CDS activities | Skype or Slack have proved most useful in previous emergencies. Check what in-country responders are most happy with using. The platform chosen has to enable the addition of multiple participants and enable instantaneous communication, as well as retain chat history |
| 2. Establish a group on the chosen platform | Establish a group on the chosen platform and invite a few key in-country and remote responders to join the chosen platform | The idea is that people are added to the platform/group by existing members as and when their participation will be beneficial to the process of improving data and information sharing |
| 3. Decide what other tools will be needed to support the collaboration | Things to consider at this stage include:
| In previous emergencies google spreadsheets have been used to create a contacts list for all members of the group, and to produce 'daily summaries' of the key information that has been shared during the day. Trello boards have been used to track data needs, data analysis activities and data availability |
Toolkit
- Trello board template: this has been pre-populated with 25 priority datasets and the tasks that need doing for each of these datasets. Please make a copy of it for each new emergency
- Coordination spreadsheet template: this is a template for a spreadsheet that can be used to help summarise the important information shared via the instant messaging platforms. Make a copy of it for use in each new emergency.
Resources
- Recording of a presentation given to the Information Management Working Group's Data Subgroup
- I scramble, you scramble, we all scramble for data - Blog by Andrej Verity
- Who are the decision makers?
- What are the key questions that decision makers ask?
- DRAFT Datasets Taxonomy - includes a draft list of over 230 datasets categorised using the MIRA framework (thanks to ACAPS for significant contributions to the development of this), as well as a more detailed draft list of 25 priority datasets that include 'how to' analytical guidance. Work has also been started on disaster specific 'how to' guidance to provide analytical guidance specific to earthquakes, hurricanes etc. This will all be shared as soon as possible.
- History of the CDS
- Example of an emergency Map Filter created to facilitate access to maps by filtering them based on the key questions that the map aims to inform, or key datasets shown on the map
- Example of how to use the data from the map filter to visualise which key questions and which key datasets are being shared on a day-to-day basis during an emergency
Haiti (Hurricane Matthew) Case Study
A Digital Collaborative Space was set up to facilitate a coordinated data scramble for the humanitarian response to Hurricane Matthew, and to help with the production of the Haiti Flash Appeal. The following tools were used:
- Skype was used for instant messaging
- A google spreadsheet was used for compiling:
- daily summaries of the conversations
- a participant contact list
- collaborative key datasets
- A Trello board was established to manage the flow of the coordinated data scramble
There were three digital coordinators dedicated to maintaining these tools, and maintaining the focus on the production of the Haiti Flash Appeal.
Representatives from HDX (for curating public datasets) and humanitarianresponse.info (for curating products) were in the skype channel, to ensure that all data and products were curated properly. The diagram below shows the Coordinated Data Scramble flow from live skype discussions, to curated information on the Trello board, to data sharing on HDX.
The Hurricane Matthew Map Filter was established to provide for better access to emergency maps, and the Map Analysis was created to show in near real time which datasets and information needs were being met through the sharing of maps.
A visualisation of information shared through the Hurricane Matthew Skype channel can be seen here (need to add link when spoken to Marcus)