Designing decision support systems at the interface between complex and complicated domains

Abstract

Crises are characterized by complexity, uncertainty and their dynamic evolution. Neither the development of the situation nor the consequences of a decision can be foreseen. Therefore, crisis management requires plans and strategies that are designed to account for lacking information and sudden system changes. With the rise of ICT systems, large amounts of data from heterogeneous sources are available to decision-makers that quickly need to be transformed into understandable and reliable information. Hence, the need arises for support in collecting and processing information that can be used for the continuous revision and updating of plans and strategies as an answer to the uncertainty and complexity that they entail. We build on notions from decision theory, emergency and risk management, complexity science and systems theory to conclude that epistemological pluralism and adequate ad-hoc approaches need to be integrated in the design of decision support systems for crisis and emergency management.