Presentation of PreventionWeb evolution, evaluation and redesign directions - presented to UNISDR management in December 2012.

1. Redesigning the next
‘PreventionWeb’
www.unisdr.org A presentation by:
IMU - Translating strategy into effective and usable tools
www.unisdr.org
Geneva
19 December 2012

2. Introduction
www.unisdr.org
Introduction

3. Introduction a
Introduction
PreventionWeb 5 years on
Time to evolve
Time for a strategic re-think
www.unisdr.org

4. Introduction b
UNISDR’s mandate – coordinate the “ISDR system”
What does this mean for PreventionWeb ?
www.unisdr.org

5. Presentation 1
www.unisdr.org
1. Background 2. Evaluation 3. Research 4. Design 5.Resource
directions issues

6. 1. Background – first five years 2
www.unisdr.org
1. Background – first five years

7. 1. Background – first five years 3
Background to the website
5 years ago…
Develop a site to help make sense of the DRR domain
Objective: facilitate the work of DRR professionals
Success criteria: become the GO-TO place for DRR
information
www.unisdr.org
PW is a major part of the UNISDR digital strategy

8. www.unisdr.org
Don Norman

9. 1. Background – first five years 4
First five years – what did we do?
Collected and organised information by type, country, hazard
and developed an accepted set of themes and issues
= mapping of the DRR domain
www.unisdr.org

10. 1. Background – first five years 5
DRR content published to date:
Total published
21,000
Information from over 3000 sources
www.unisdr.org

11. 1. Background – first five years 6
www.unisdr.org

12. 1. Background to PreventionWeb 7
Other PreventionWeb services include:
www.unisdr.org
The site is fully integrated with UNISDR and Intranet

13. 1. Background – first five years 8
PreventionWeb usage in 2012:
Visits: 900,000
Page views: 2.4 million
Unique visitors: 85,000 per month
45% year on year increase in usage - for the September-
November period
Regular users: 25,000
www.unisdr.org
Comparison ?

14. 1. Background – first five years 9
Access to information via Email subscriptions:
4500 subscribers
Over 250,000 emails per month
www.unisdr.org

15. 1. Background – first five years 10
The future is mobile and the world is changing but…
Mobile traffic on PreventionWeb: 6%
Tablet (iPad) traffic to PreventionWeb: 2%
Compare with: London Olympics website
- 60% mobile users
www.unisdr.org

16. 1. Background – first five years 11
Recap:
• In 5 years, PreventionWeb has aggregated over 21,000
items from over 3000 organisations.
• Mapped the current scope of the DRR domain
• Developed an accepted set of themes and issues
www.unisdr.org

17. 2. Evaluation 12
www.unisdr.org
Evaluation Evaluation
2. of PreventionWeb

18. 2. Evaluation 13
Main recommendation:
Add more value through active knowledge brokering
www.unisdr.org

19. 2. Evaluation 14a
Recommendations
• Recommendation 1: Develop a PW theory of change
• Recommendation 2 – Develop PW results framework and M&E system
• Recommendation 3 – Rationalise and reduce PW services based
on the prioritisation of services that ‘add value’
• Recommendation 4 – PW website re-design
• Recommendation 5 - Review IMU skills requirements and develop
or recruit relevant skills and capacity in knowledge brokering
www.unisdr.org

20. 2. Evaluation 14b
Recommendations
• Recommendation 6 - Intensify PW’s relationship with UNISDR
Regional Offices
• Recommendation 7 – Assess knowledge brokering funding resources
• Recommendation 8 – Enhance PW’s expertise and reputation as a
knowledge broker for the DRR domain
• Recommendation 9 - Enhance PW’s language coverage
• Recommendation 10 - Establish strong working relationships with
key DRR network partners
www.unisdr.org

21. 3. Research and findings 15
www.unisdr.org
Evaluation of PreventionWeb
3. Research and findings

22. 3. Research and findings 16
IMU follow up to evaluation (Sept to Dec):
• Literature review and discussion with KM / KB experts
• Review of KB at the staff retreat
• Survey - over 800 replies
• Interviews - 30 staff and 30 external stakeholders
• Analytics review of site usage
• Strategy workshop on Enterprise Architecture
www.unisdr.org

23. 3. Research and findings 17
Knowledge Brokering in DRR: What are UNISDR’s most
value-added activities to support…?
Information Knowledge Knowledge Innovation
intermediary translator broker broker
… enabling … helping … improving … changing the
access to DRR people make knowledge use in DRR context to enable
Information sense of DRR decision making? For innovation in DRR?
(from multiple issues? For whom? Why? For whom? Why?
sources)? For whom? Why?
www.unisdr.org
whom? Why?
No part can stand alone

24. 3. Research and findings 18
Staff retreat – what KB activities are we doing now?
• PW is the information intermediary
• Staff feel we do more translation – but words we use
reflect a broker role
Examples: fuel, facilitate, catalyze, connect and convene
www.unisdr.org

25. 3. Research and findings 19
Findings of interviews and survey:
www.unisdr.org

26. 3. Research and findings 20
30 staff interviews
Who are the top 3 most important target audiences for UNISDR?
National governments – 100%
UN system – 40%
NGOs – 36%
IGOs – 32%
Local govt - 24%
General public – 20%
www.unisdr.org

27. 3. Research and findings 21
Survey – over 800 replies
What are your main sources of information on disaster
risk reduction?
PW listed explicitly as the major online source of DRR
information – confirmation of evaluation
No other DRR portals compare
PW is the GO-TO place
BUT: still low awareness of site and services among some
www.unisdr.org
key target audiences

28. 3. Research and findings 22
Can you recall instances when content or services of
PreventionWeb have contributed to any of the
following in your work?
www.unisdr.org

29. 3. Research and findings 23
Survey: most important services
www.unisdr.org

30. 3. Research and findings 24
What target audiences (really) want to know:
✔ How to implement DRR - examples and guidance
✔ Risk data
✔ DRR in simple language
✔ Cost benefit analysis
✔ Translation to local languages
✔ Contacts
Understanding international and regional processes
www.unisdr.org
✔
✔ DRR policy and legislation

31. 3. Research and findings 25
Survey: Top tasks for governments:
Understand lessons learned from major disasters
Training in disaster risk reduction
Share lessons learned
Include DRR in sustainable development planning
Find jobs in DRR
www.unisdr.org

32. 3. Findings of interviews & surveys 26
Bottom 25% of tasks selected is revealing:
Examples
Incorporate DRR in private sector business strategies
Monitor local DRR progress
Issue: Low priority on specific tasks suggest we are not
reaching the audiences
www.unisdr.org

33. 3. Research and findings 27a
Survey: Recommendations for improvement of the
PreventionWeb site:
Simplify the visual layout of the homepage
Improve language options (especially in search)
Combine all email profile options in a single email
Communicate and promote services better
More online discussions and networking opportunities
www.unisdr.org

34. 3. Research and findings 27b
Improve site navigation for specific user types
Access to personal profiles and expert lists
Add online training and webinars
More timely listings of training and events – more lead
time
Validation of content quality by experts and community
www.unisdr.org
Many replies said PreventionWeb is fine as is

35. 3. Research and findings 28a
Survey: if PreventionWeb stopped tomorrow, what
would still be needed?
713 responses - including many cries of incredulity at the question!
Publications and documents
Everything
News and announcements
Event calendar
Jobs
www.unisdr.org
Country profiles

36. 3. Research and findings 28b
Training
Data and Risk profiles
Policy and legislation
Email alerts
Contacts
Education materials
Nothing – 12 people out of 713
www.unisdr.org

37. 3. Research and findings 29
Recap: research confirms the evaluation
PreventionWeb is a trusted source of information
Core services - collections of documents and data are in high demand
PreventionWeb is considered a service for professionals but there is a
need to expand the audience
Need to improve service to orient users - navigation for specific user
types
Need to improve – lighten – visual design
www.unisdr.org
Need to improve access to risk data
Need to improve people to people connections

38. 4. Design directions 31
www.unisdr.org
Evaluation of PreventionWeb
4. Design directions

39. 3. Research and findings 30
Theory of change:
PW Phase 1: aggregating information to give shape
- mapping and making sense of the DRR domain
PW Phase 2: orientation and guidance on how to do DRR
- to accelerate action
PW Phase 3: Monitoring and analysis of DRR
(but still need parts 1 and 2)
www.unisdr.org

40. 4. Design directions 32
Foresight report:
Resistance, Persistence and Transformation
www.unisdr.org

41. 4. Design directions 33
Design principles:
• Retain the sense of ownership & engagement of the DRR community
• UNISDR as the lead focal point in the UN system should be clearly
seen as the project sponsor
• Site needs to help orient and attract, not intimidate newcomers to
the DRR domain
• Improve searchability and discoverability of DRR content
• Should be seen as a useful and practical tool
• Must be relevant to both HQ and regions
www.unisdr.org
• Must be attractive to sponsors and donors

42. 4. Design directions - Branding
www.unisdr.org
Evaluation of PreventionWeb
1) Branding

43. 4. Design directions - Branding 34
Feedback
• Staff and management of UNISDR feel that UNISDR is not
getting enough exposure or credit for the PW site
• Staff feel that it should be kept separate but clearly linked as a
UNISDR brand
• Some survey respondents did not know PreventionWeb was a
project of UNISDR…
• Sentiment analysis in survey indicates that a majority (60%) has
no strong opposition to this association – some (10%) strongly
opposed
www.unisdr.org

44. 4. Design directions - Branding 35
www.unisdr.org

45. 4. Design directions - Branding 36
A tough cognitive journey…
www.unisdr.org

46. 4. Design directions - Branding 37
Directions
Clarify position of PreventionWeb as a UNISDR brand
- ensure this is part of a visual redesign
Simplify the brand offering of UNISDR
- improve coherence and connection between brands
Reconsider brand name to reflect chosen strategic direction
Issue: All UNISDR staff should own and identify with all
www.unisdr.org
UNISDR brands

47. 4. Design directions - Orientation
www.unisdr.org
EvaluationOrientation
2) of PreventionWeb

48. 4. Design directions - Orientation 38
Findings
There is a high demand for basic guidance, and fact
sheets
Users want information in simple language = knowledge
translation
Users want information packaged into manageable
summaries with links to more detail
www.unisdr.org
Issue: organisation of information by themes, hazards and countries
does not facilitate the work of a mayor or private sector actor

49. 4. Design directions - Orientation 39
Directions
Develop specific guides to information and contacts for
different user types e.g. ‘Mayors’ needs…’ ‘Private sector
needs…’
Develop editorial packages: DRR in social media, guide
to DRR networks, understanding risk data, top 10 most
popular, etc.
Better guides to DRR processes, better issue oriented
calendars
www.unisdr.org
Need to promote services to stakeholders that are not
currently engaged

50. 4. Design directions - Data
www.unisdr.org
Evaluation of Data
3) PreventionWeb

51. 4. Design directions - Data 40
Findings
Huge demand for risk data: GAR data should not be
locked up
Data is needed for investment arguments and cost-
benefit analysis
High bounce rate on data that is not visually attractive
www.unisdr.org

52. 4. Design directions - Data 41
Directions
Expose GAR disaster and risk data in all appropriate
contexts and formats
Leverage and expose academic and private sector
alliances
Need for better visualisation and visually compelling
landing pages
www.unisdr.org

53. 4. Design directions – Social interaction
www.unisdr.org
Evaluation of PreventionWeb
4) Social interaction

54. 4. Design directions – Social interaction 42
Feedback:
Users and partners want increased participation and
networking
Active knowledge brokering is a person to person – trust
based - activity
Trust is placed in expert and community reviews of
content
www.unisdr.org

55. 4. Design directions – Social interaction 43a
Directions
Allow users to build profiles and contact each other
through the site services
Put real people in important touch points – call to get help
if needed
Add social help solutions – people answer each other
Invite expert reviewers of content
www.unisdr.org

56. 4. Design directions – Social interaction 43b
Hold online events to generate community and trust
Integrate social media feeds wherever possible
Improve support to DRR communities of practice
Integrate a satisfaction survey as a regular ongoing
activity
www.unisdr.org

57. 4. Design directions – Local level data
www.unisdr.org
5) Local level of PreventionWeb
Evaluation data and information

58. 4. Design directions – Local level data 44
Feedback
Information and data has mostly been modeled at country
level, need to incorporate city level
This target audience is largely outside our current reach
www.unisdr.org

59. 4. Design directions – Local level data 45
Directions
Anticipate increasing demand for local level information
and data
Further study of local information needs is required
Intuitively, this could be a major value add
www.unisdr.org

60. 5. Resourcing
www.unisdr.org
Evaluation of PreventionWeb
5. Implications of changes on resourcing

61. 5. Resourcing 46
Main recommendation:
• Add more value through active knowledge brokering
• KB means more analysis and different skills
www.unisdr.org

62. 5. Resourcing 47
How much to build - how much to maintain
• Current site value: $ 5 million (IPSAS)
www.unisdr.org

63. 5. Resourcing 48
Redesign
• Design work (with a design agency) and programming
estimate – USD xxx
• Comparison: ReliefWeb spent over USD xxx to redesign
www.unisdr.org

64. 5. Resourcing 49
Maintenance = Staffing
Value added services require domain knowledge and
specific skills
– KB implies intelligence, strategic packaging of information
– Need editors or contractors to produce guides and editorial
packages
– Need TIME for partner dialogue, facilitation of relationships
and QC
www.unisdr.org
– Need ongoing visual and graphic design resources
– Estimate a minimum of two full time editors

65. 5. Resourcing 50
Maintenance = Staffing (2)
Core services will always be labour intensive
– Outsourcing data entry in Bhutan
– Discussing co-branding and maintenance with partners
– Transferring responsibility for jobs and org profiles to
partners
– Improving relevance to UNISDR regional office- increased
participation
www.unisdr.org
– Estimate a minimum for two full time editors
- plus 3 offshore

66. 5. Resourcing 51
Implications of design changes on resourcing
• Current model – maintenance – $ xxx per year
• Redesign – $ xxx (every 4 years)
• Maintenance of new design – $ xxx per year
• Is it worth x% ?
www.unisdr.org

67. 5. Resourcing 52
Foresight report:
Resistance, Persistence and Transformation
www.unisdr.org

68. 5. Resourcing 53
Transformative approach: changing the game
• How much can we leverage the work of the UNISDR to
populate the system and directly reflect our coordination
role?
• Eg GAR data out put in a format that is directly accessible
on appropriate pages - not post processing
• Elina’s take on Post 2015 is a blog post supported by an
online guide
www.unisdr.org
Our strategy becomes our digital strategy

69. 5. Resourcing 54
Future of technology
• More automation of aggregation = artificial intelligence
• More effective use of Big Data
• Easier and deeper social integration
• Splinternet: multiplication of devices and channels
www.unisdr.org

70. Conclusions 55
www.unisdr.org
Evaluation of PreventionWeb
Conclusions

71. Conclusion 56
“PreventionWeb” HAS a niche
• Source of orientation, guidance and reliable information
on the practical implementation of DRR
• Helps audiences understand and plan actions, as well as
monitor progress
• Facilitates exposure to communities and helps monitor
and benchmark their work against good practice.
Provides the digital support to the UNISDR value
www.unisdr.org
proposition

72. Conclusion 57
Our goal:
develop a flagship product that is the
online manifestation of the value derived from
our coordination function
www.unisdr.org

73. 58
Thanks
IMU - translating strategy into effective and usable tools
www.unisdr.org

74. 59
Questions to the SLG
• Comments on findings or design directions?
• Ideas for fund raising?
• What business model: Sponsorship, secondments,
academic partnerships – transformed UNISDR?
• How can we better promote our services?
• How to improve relevance for UNISDR regional offices?
www.unisdr.org
• Should PreventionWeb develop a more formal
governance model?