Global Pulse aims to close the information gap between when a crisis occurs and when actionable data is available to help decision makers. It does this by harnessing innovation to monitor vulnerable populations in real-time using new sources of data like social media, mobile phones, and sensors. Global Pulse develops tools like its open collaboration platform to facilitate data sharing and analysis across organizations and helps establish innovation labs around the world to better understand and respond to community needs during crises.

1. UN GLOBAL PULSE: Product Harnessing innovation to protect the vulnerable Sara Farmer Chief Platform Architect, UN Global Pulse Executive Office of the Secretary-General United Nations Headquarters New York, NY

2. Global Pulse has a clear vision and an ambitious mission our vision Close the information gap between the onset of a crisis and the availability of actionable information for decision makers our mission Harness innovation to protect the vulnerable

3. Which stocks would you buy today… … if this were all you knew? Dow-Jones Index 2001-2008

4. The Information Gap When the global economic crisis hit in 2008, world leaders needed to know how the crisis was affecting vulnerable populations. That turned out to be a bit of a problem.

5. Household-level stats take months to collect, and years to validate!

6. The information gap is real… ? First data becomes available

7. … as are its consequences.

8. “ Tracking” progress on the Millennium Development Goals

9. Yet during the global crisis, the world also changed in truly wondrous ways

11. Global Pulse Products: Real-time monitoring framework Open platform architecture Local innovation labs

12. 1. Data and Analysis

16. 2. Platform and Tools

17. Global Pulse will add new tools to traditional approach to transform vulnerability monitoring 1. Establish Baseline 2. Monitor baseline 3. Investigate anomalies 4. Respond Traditional indicators (Statistical vulnerability indicators) Proxy indicators (Non-traditional indicators of vulnerability) Active monitoring (ongoing door to door surveys) Passive monitoring (Real time observation of data streams) Physical verification (on site investigation via for eg. ad hoc household survey) Community/Network alert (Make community leaders sensitive to potential event) Response Baseline is established based on traditional and proxy indicators. This baseline may include a model of the risk terrain Baseline is monitored actively and passively for anomalies and changes Teams investigate anomalies to verify vulnerability events If vulnerabilities are identified then responses is mobilized and targeted If vulnerability corroborated Physical verification (on site investigation via for eg. ad hoc household survey) Traditional Approach New tools

19. Pulse Collaboration Platform

20. 3. Innovation and Labs