A geospatial data management framework for humanitarian response

The success of humanitarian relief efforts is contingent upon the quality and timeliness of information provided to both the decision making and coordinating functions. Poor or fragmented information can lead to inappropriate decisions or poorly coordinated activities. This research focuses on how the application of spatially aware technologies can allow the information dimension of the challenge to become more effective. This will be achieved through the development of a comprehensive framework for the organization of spatially referenced humanitarian information, and corresponding geospatial data model for practical application in the field. The development of a spatial data framework that is both comprehensive and scalable can unleash the power of GIS for humanitarian data managers, and facilitate the collection and sharing of information between agencies that share similar goals. The research involves the development of a framework based on a literature review of best-practices, which will be refined and tested through interaction with the humanitarian information management community.