Situating shelter design and provision in ICT discourse for scarce-resource contexts

Exploring Community Needs for Disaster Shelters Using Cultural Probes

“…Emergency shelters provide temporary respite and safety for individuals and families displaced from their place of residence either voluntarily or without choice in the event of structural damage or extreme risk to hazards. While shelter design and management are an active area of research in fields such as emergency management and architecture, here we build upon prior HCI work [54] [55] to further develop our field's approach to this problem space. This work largely focuses on the physical aspects of sheltering and raises the importance of participatory and localized design processes [54].…”

“…While shelter design and management are an active area of research in fields such as emergency management and architecture, here we build upon prior HCI work [54] [55] to further develop our field's approach to this problem space. This work largely focuses on the physical aspects of sheltering and raises the importance of participatory and localized design processes [54]. A recent survey of a related field, Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICTD), found that research into shelter design focused primarily on high tech solutions and experiments within resource-rich environments [54].…”

“…This work largely focuses on the physical aspects of sheltering and raises the importance of participatory and localized design processes [54]. A recent survey of a related field, Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICTD), found that research into shelter design focused primarily on high tech solutions and experiments within resource-rich environments [54]. We contribute to this literature by taking a broader view of individual and community needs regarding shelter, conducting this research in a relatively lower resource environment, and not centering technological approaches.…”

“…Another argument that arises from these findings is the need for designers and managers of emergency shelters, formal and otherwise, to attend to the broad range of needs of impacted people. Here we draw on the dictum to cura personalis or "care for the whole person" in humanitarian response [54]. Beyond immediate needs related to physical health and safety, participants in our study expressed the need for, amongst other things, psychological and religious guidance, community, and a feeling of agency.…”

“…Research into shelter design and management in fields such as emergency response and civil engineering has yielded important findings regarding the physical design, layout, and construction of shelters, with attention to how they can be quickly mobilized during times of crisis, when resources are scarce and time is of the essence [65]. Similarly, HCI research on shelters for people displaced during emergencies has primarily emphasized physical design of shelters, offering such insights as the importance of participatory process and drawing on local knowledge and construction practices [54] [55]. Here, drawing on the lens of human-centered design, we offer a broader view of both disaster-affected peoples' needs regarding shelter and the contributions that HCI stands to make to this problem space.…”