crowdsourcing communications

Crowdsourcing Communications

Heather Leson, Melanie Gorka and Brian ChickJanuary 18, 2011

Volunteer Technical Communities (VTCs)

Sahana Foundation• Ushahidi, Swift River and

Crowdmap• OpenStreetMap• Frontline SMS• Crisismappers• Random Hacks of Kindness• CrisisCommons• Geeks without Bounds • And many more

Crisis Commons is a global network of volunteers who use creative problem solving and open technologies to help people and communities in times and

places of crisis.

Crisis Commons members organize response events called CrisisCamps.

CrisisCamp Toronto for Haiti earthquake

CrisisCommons/CrisisCamps

90 days8 countries50 events+2000 volunteers

Who volunteers?

Technical - Software developers, web developers, web designers, user experience/user interface experts, geocoders, geo mappers, GIS experts, technologists, beta testers

New Media - Bloggers, videographers, podcasters, photographers, social media trainers, social media users, collaborators, crowdsourcers

Organizational - Organizers, open source community planners, project managers, emergency response planners, crisis communicators

Other - Researchers, lawyers, trainers, teachers, librarians, technical writers, event planners, translators, innovators, entrepreneurs, anyone with a laptop

What do they do?Code, test tools, translate, map, communicate, collaborate, brainstorm, research, analyze, report, create content, and document process

Crowdsourcing

CrisisCamp Argentina

Crowdsourcing - using your spare cycles

Crowdsourcing: 2 levels

Building apps Programming Storytelling Social Media

2,000 volunteers

Apps source public knowledge

Twitter, Reports, RSS, data

Each application can collect thousands of reports

Collaborative Projects

Oil Reporter

Learning Ushahidi and OpenStreetMap

Population Centers in Disaster

Crisis Commons – Global 2011 and on

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation granted the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies and Crisis Commons a 2-year research grant

• Engagement: strategy• Engagement: community

engagement• Research and innovation

Build Partnerships

GovernmentalNon-Governmental OrganizationsCrisis Response OrganizationsVolunteer Technical CommunitiesPrivate Sector Academic

Craig Fugate, Administrator FEMACrisisCongress, July 2010

Team Canada

Canada, Ontario, Toronto Build Toronto volunteer community Outreach: Ontario government and Canadian

governments. Build partnerships with Canadian Emergency

Responder community and NGO communities Outreach: Canadian Private Sector Help CrisisCamps in Vancouver, Calgary, and

Montreal Foster Canadian community:

CVEOC - The Canadian Volunteer EOC Collaborate with PTSC-Online

Contact and Credits

Brian.chick@left-button.com Heather@textontechs.com Melanie.gorka@gmail.com @crisiscamp @crisiscommons @crisiscampto

Photos by: heatherleson, Brian Chick, Cynthia Gould,

Mariella