Common understanding of the information exchanged in response operations

Endorsed by
DRIVER+
Motivation

Limits in the ability to ensure a common understanding of the information exchanged ( , symbology) by all managers involved in the operations

Potential Solutions
Following solutions could be addressing this gap.

Different organisations and countries that are not collaborating in daily business may have to work together in large during which a common understanding of the situation and access to the latest information is crucial. The barriers between units come from different natural languages but mainly from different and taxonomy. There is ongoing work towards symbology harmonisation (INDIGO) but they are not implemented widely. Priority areas where common is needed have to be identified and a standard terminology needs to be agreed in such areas. Tools and mechanisms to support the dissemination and implementation of common terminology are necessary, as well as exercises to support the harmonisation of terminology or the mutual understanding of different terminologies.

References in the literature: this is well recognised and detailed in the literature

Rationale & related CM function(s)

Consultation and coordination across state agencies, local authorities, private entities, and volunteer organisations in develop crisis communications and information management documentation and procedures will promote adequate access to information (e.g. on a need to know basis) and commonality in terminology, symbology and, hence, understanding of a crisis situation.
Requirements towards crisis communications capabilities, coordinated among stakeholders, need to seek commonality or harmonisation of terminology, symbols, representation of crisis management information, and data exchange formats.
Established principles of information sharing need to promote standardized, common or harmonised terminology, symbology, formats and representation of crisis management information.
Standards, common or harmonised terms, symbols, formats and representations need to be established in internal--horizontal and vertical--coordination.
Standards, common or harmonised terms, symbols, formats and representations need to be followed in the establishment of crisis management rules and standard operating procedures.
Commonality or harmonisation of training standards and modes will promote common understanding of the information exchanged in crisis operations.
Provenance
DRIVER+ D922.11 List of CM gaps, Gap 6, pp 44-45
eu Portfolio of Solutions web site has been initially developed in the scope of DRIVER+ project. Today, the service is managed by AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH., for the benefit of the European Management. PoS is endorsed and supported by the Disaster Competence Network Austria (DCNA) as well as by the STAMINA and TeamAware H2020 projects.