Why Information Matters
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WHY INFORMATION MATTERS A FOUNDATION FOR RESILIENCE May 2015 SUPPORTED BY EMBRACING CHANGE: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ACRONYMS THE CRITICAL ROLE OF INFORMATION “Why Information Matters: a foundation for resilience” is part of Embracing Change: The Critical Role of Information, AIFDR Australia Indonesia Facility funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to for Disaster Reduction support the Internews’ Center for Innovation and Learning’s BNPB National Disaster Management Agency research on the role of information ecosystems in building (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana) resilience. Many thanks to the Rockefeller Foundation, and BPBD Provincial Disaster Management Agency especially to Sundaa Bridgett-Jones, Associate Director, (Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah) International Development, for vital input and support. DRR Disaster Risk Reduction Amanda Noonan (Internews, Director of Research and FEMA The Federal Emergency Learning) and Adam Levin (Internews, Project Manager Management Agency and Knowledge Management Advisor) collaborated on MPBI Indonesian Society for Disaster the strategic vision and planning, and provided invaluable Management (Masyarakat feedback on earlier drafts of this report. Mark Frohardt Penanggulangan Bencana Indonesia) (Executive Director, Internews’ Center for Innovation and NGO Non-governmental Organization Learning) shared useful input on earlier drafts. Matt Abud PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3 provided helpful context and guidance for the Jakarta PMI Indonesia Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia) InfoEco Pilot research. A big acknowledgement is due to the staff at PMI East Jakarta, particularly Eki, Fahdhli, and Pusdalops Central Management and Operations for Floods Dewi, for generously facilitating two days of our site visits to flood-affected areas. Deep appreciation as well to the RT “Neighborhood administrator” Jakarta InfoEco Pilot interviewees for their very valuable (Rukun Tetangga) contributions. Many thanks to Roanne van Voorst, (University RW “Community administrator” (Rukun of the Netherlands, Lecturer) and Vida Parady (University of Warga) Administrators of a larger geographic area and level of SCOPING & TESTING & Indonesia, Lecturer) for their helpful peer reviews of earlier OPERATIONALIZING responsibility above Rukun Tetangga DEFINING UNDERSTANDING drafts of Part III. We also thank our final peer reviewers, Charles Martin-Shields (George Mason University) and Ola SMS Short Message Service Initial framing and research Refining definitions and Developing and sharing Tjornbo (University of Waterloo), for their invaluable feedback. UNOCHA United Nations Office for the to explore theoretical and analyzing the relationship of operational guidelines Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs practical underpinnings of between information and tools for policymakers information ecosystems. ecosystems and resilience. and practitioners. CREDITS ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES • Literature review of systems, Tara Susman-Peña (Internews, Senior Research Officer) • Reviewing four Internews • Creating materials to ecosystems and resilience is the research lead for the Embracing Change project case studies in Japan, capture research findings and the principal author of the report. Nicole Audette • Defining information Pakistan, Indonesia, • Disseminating materials (Internews, Research Assistant) was responsible for analysis ecosystems and an analytic and Myanmar through events and public of the Internews case studies (Part II). Julianne Funk, framework • Fieldwork in Jakarta launch Alyssa Mesich, and Thelonius Cook (Internews, Research Assistants) reviewed theoretical and policy literature. Mary OUTPUTS • Fieldwork in New York City Myers contributed edits to an early draft of the report. • Literature Review OUTPUTS Isobel Grad (Internews, Research Assistant) designed the [Completed April 2014] • Final Presentation Deck OUTPUTS [September 2014] preliminary visualizations and graphics for the report. Natalie • Resilient Information Chang (Senior Program Associate, Internews) edited the Ecosystems Tumblr [Ongoing] • Final Report report and provided substantial writing support. Annette [November 2014] Makino copyedited the report. Front cover photograph • Why Information Matters: by Roanne van Voorst, 2011. Photographs on pages 22- A Foundation for Resilience • Outreach Strategy [September 2014] & Dissemination Plan 24 are drawn from their respective research reports. [November 2014] All other photographs by Tara Susman-Peña, 2014. • Why Information Matters summary deck [September 2014] SUPPORTED BY WHY INFORMATION MATTERS A FOUNDATION FOR RESILIENCE 1 ABOUT THIS REPORT Embracing Change: The Critical Role of 3. Shares insights from the Jakarta Information is summarized in the paper and annexes, the focus political and economic opening, and 4) three Information, a research project by the Internews' Ecosystems pilot, which investigated the of this piece is the learning and recommendations environmental disasters in Indonesia, including Center for Innovation & Learning, supported by relevance of information ecosystems to that we have drawn from the data. The paper is not floods that are a chronic occurrence in Jakarta. the Rockefeller Foundation, combines Internews’ communities living in chronically flood-prone meant to be academic nor fully capture the rigor of the longstanding effort to highlight the important role of environments; and research; it is meant to enable informed action. LEARNING FROM RESILIENCE POLICY, information with Rockefeller’s groundbreaking work on IDEAS, AND PRACTICE resilience. The project focuses on three major aspects: 4. Reveals the utility of an information ecosystems To contextualize the research, the Center examined approach and highlights preliminary conclusions METHODOLOGY policy literature on disaster risk reduction and ∞ Building knowledge around the role of on why information matters for resilience. resilience to better understand how information fits into information in empowering communities to LEARNING FROM LITERATURE current conversations and thinking in this area. Key to understand and adapt to different types of This analysis provides consistent evidence that healthy Information ecosystems, occasionally referred to this review was Arup’s “City Resilience Framework” change: slow onset, long-term, and rapid onset / information ecosystems promote resilience, while weak as “information ecologies,” are an underdeveloped (supported by the Rockefeller Foundation) in addition disruptive; information ecosystems seriously hinder preparedness, concept in the literature. Most uses of the term to documents on disaster policy in Indonesia and the response, and recovery from shocks and stressors; assume a common understanding without laying out United States. ∞ Identifying strategies and techniques for underscores that healthy information ecosystems are a a definition; it is less so considered with respect to strengthening information ecosystems to support vital component of ensuring that resilience strategies the development and resilience of communities. In LEARNING FROM FIELDWORK behavioral adaptation to disruptive change; and engage all individuals and communities within a April 2014, the Center presented a literature review To further inform the theoretical and retrospective city or system; and surfaces critical areas of further summarizing explorations of the theoretical and analyses on the relationship between information ∞ Disseminating knowledge and principles to investigation in the second phase of the Embracing practical underpinnings of information ecosystems to ecosystems and resilience, this report incorporates individuals, communities, the private sector, Change project, the New York InfoEco Pilot study. articulate: 1) what information ecosystems are, how fieldwork in Jakarta, Indonesia completed in April policymakers, and other partners so that they can they function, and how best to assess them; and 2) 2014. At the time of writing, additional fieldwork in the incorporate healthy information ecosystems as a The final phase of the Embracing Change project how best to strengthen them to support communities’ Brooklyn and Staten Island areas of New York City is core element of their social resilience strategies. (to be completed in November 2014) will lead to the adaptation to change.1 ongoing, and will be described in future deliverables. development of practical guidelines and tools for This component of the research is designed to pilot “Why Information Matters: A Foundation For incorporating measures to strengthen the health of LEARNING FROM CASE STUDIES the information ecosystems methodological approach Resilience” represents the first step towards these information ecosystems into resilience frameworks. The review of theoretical literature was a basis for to offer new insight and inform future inquiry for aims. Drawing on theoretical literature, case studies, Future outcomes will include diagnostic tools for constructing a working definition of information information ecosystem and resilience research and and primary field research, this report: accessing the health of information ecosystems, including ecosystems, a significant part of which is the “Eight planning. additional characteristics, indicators, and variables Critical Dimensions of Information Ecosystems.” This 1. Defines “information ecosystems” and that inform a holistic picture of healthy information definition was then used to analyze the relationship proposes an analytic framework of eight critical