From design to decision-making: emergency manager participation in the development of coastal storm decision support tools.

Abstract

Introduction: Computer-based decision support tools (DSTs) are indispensable to emergency managers (EMs). Despite their proliferation in recent years, there is a persistent disconnect between the tools developed and their use. Developing tools with end-users has been recommended to ensure they have practical relevance and achieve widespread adoption and utilization. While existing work has primarily focused on DST development, end-user engagement in DST development and implementation has received less attention. In this paper, we review the existing literature on coastal storm DST development to determine whether and how researchers are engaging EMs in the development of DSTs and their reporting on the outcomes of these efforts.

Methods: We conducted a literature review of coastal storm DST development, looking for mentions of EM engagement. Our search identified 286 articles, and the review was conducted on 65 of the articles that mentioned a DST, of which six explicitly mentioned engaging EMs in development.

Results: Of the 286 articles we identified, only six articles explicitly report engaging EMs in tool development, suggesting low levels of engagement. We found limited reporting on the outcomes of these efforts. We identified four approaches from the six articles reviewed: (1) conduct a needs identify emergency managers' needs to guide the development; (2) from a collaborative team to engage emergency managers in tool development; (3) host workshops and training exercises with emergency managers using the tool to solicit feedback; and (4) use an iterative design approach to incorporate EM feedback into the tool.

Conclusion: Findings of our review reveal low levels of EM engagement reported in existing literature, which may reflect a disconnect between the tools being developed and their use by EMs. We also found limited reporting on the outcomes of these efforts, suggesting that most DSTs have yet to achieve mainstream use. Recommendations for research and practice include (1) increased reporting on the engagement of EM in DST development; (2) an assessment of the barriers related to DST development and implementation for both tool developers and EMs; (3) longitudinal studies or case studies of DST development and implementation; and (4) the creation of a standardized approach or set of best practices for DST development and implementation to increase their success.