Potential and Limitations of the Sketch Map Tool in the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement
(2024) VBRM15 20232Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety
- Abstract
- In disaster risk management, participatory mapping (PM) closes spatial data gaps in communities by integrating local risk knowledge. The thesis examined the potential and limitations of the Sketch Map Tool (SMT) as a PM tool for community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) through an International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement case study. The research evaluated the SMT's applicability for community mapping in the Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment by the Colombian Red Cross for hazard analysis, capacity assessment, and action planning, using qualitative interviews, surveys, and community maps. A novel classification assessed the SMT as PM method and software within a participatory and collaborative mapping approach,... (More)
- In disaster risk management, participatory mapping (PM) closes spatial data gaps in communities by integrating local risk knowledge. The thesis examined the potential and limitations of the Sketch Map Tool (SMT) as a PM tool for community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) through an International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement case study. The research evaluated the SMT's applicability for community mapping in the Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment by the Colombian Red Cross for hazard analysis, capacity assessment, and action planning, using qualitative interviews, surveys, and community maps. A novel classification assessed the SMT as PM method and software within a participatory and collaborative mapping approach, identifying strengths, shortcomings, and recommendations against the backdrop of contextual PM factors. The SMT proved valuable for collecting, visualising, and analysing local spatial disaster risk knowledge as well as collaborative planning, bridging cost-effective and inclusive paper-based data collection with digital data analysis and storage for more efficient community mapping through digitalisation. Limitations arose from shortcomings in the tool’s effectiveness as a PM method, interrelating with restrictions and problems of software functions and usability, which if tackled may unfold the SMT’s unused potential as adaptable PM method. Future research could test its applicability for other hazards, vulnerability assessments, and ecosystem based DRR. This research establishes the SMT's significance as innovative tool of Participatory Action Research in DRR. With refinements, the SMT shows promise for expanded applications in adaptation planning and holistic disaster risk assessments with forensic approaches by mapping and examining risk drivers and human-nature interactions. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Risk data of the most remote and vulnerable communities is often missing (The Centre for Humanitarian Data, 2022), impacting their ability to build disaster resilience (Liu et al., 2018). By integrating communities’ local knowledge and perceptions in disaster risk assessments and reduction plans, analogue and digital participatory mapping methods enable community participation and close spatial data gaps. Is the Sketch Map Tool (SMT), as one example of a participatory mapping tool, a good solution to facilitate this process?
I examined the potential and limitations of the SMT for community mapping in the context of the Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment by the Colombian Red Cross for hazard analysis, capacity assessment, and... (More) - Risk data of the most remote and vulnerable communities is often missing (The Centre for Humanitarian Data, 2022), impacting their ability to build disaster resilience (Liu et al., 2018). By integrating communities’ local knowledge and perceptions in disaster risk assessments and reduction plans, analogue and digital participatory mapping methods enable community participation and close spatial data gaps. Is the Sketch Map Tool (SMT), as one example of a participatory mapping tool, a good solution to facilitate this process?
I examined the potential and limitations of the SMT for community mapping in the context of the Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment by the Colombian Red Cross for hazard analysis, capacity assessment, and action planning in the community of La Capilla in Soacha, Colombia. Neither the current version of the tool, nor its software usability or usage as participatory mapping method have ever been analysed before regarding its applicability by the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and the mapping of other disaster risk related aspects, such as community resources and risk reduction plans.
The SMT is valuable for collecting, visualising, enhancing, and analysing local spatial disaster risk knowledge as well as for collaborative planning. Through bridging cost-effective paper-based data collection with digital data analysis and storage, the tool enables more efficient community-based disaster risk reduction. Enhancements in the software, derived from identified shortcomings and recommendations about potential applications of the tool in the field of participatory mapping, may help to overcome current limitations and unfold the tool's full potential. Ultimately, I established the SMT's significance as an innovative tool for practitioners and participatory action researchers in the field of disaster risk reduction.
Through a novel classification I assessed the SMT as participatory mapping method and software, and within a participatory and collaborative mapping approach, using 11 key informant interviews, three community maps and qualitative surveys. The tool’s current software functions, including the generation of printable paper maps with OpenStreetMap data as well as the digitalisation of markings on the base maps (i.e., georeferencing and automatic colour-detection), impact how the solution can be used as participatory mapping method by development agencies.
My qualitative evaluation of the SMT's applicability for community mapping acknowledged efficiency gains relating to time, resources, accuracy, and the sustainability of community maps, compared to other participatory mapping methods. However, the tool’s software functions are restricted to the recognition of limited colours, one type of markings and the map as sole map feature, which is digitalised, as well as to one base map type, impacting its usage as participatory mapping method. The language of the user interface as well as the digitalisation process pose additional shortcomings, which lead to limitations of the tool’s applicability. The recommendations about enhancements and improvements of the solution can be seen as requirements for its further development. These include among others the improvement and extension of the digitalisation functions, more base maps and language options, and better user interface design, which would facilitate the tool’s usage by non-experts. The tool’s software functions must allow for usage of the tool as a participatory mapping method, which is adaptable to specific topics, community needs and communication styles.
With refinements, the SMT shows promise for expanded applications in climate change adaptation and holistic disaster risk assessments with forensic approaches by mapping and examining risk drivers and human-nature interactions. Future research opportunities include testing its applicability for other hazards, vulnerability assessments, disaster forensic approaches, crisis mapping, climate change adaptation planning as well as the evaluation of its software usability with quantitative metrics. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9146846
- author
- Letzner, Kimon LU
- supervisor
-
- Mo Hamza LU
- organization
- course
- VBRM15 20232
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Disaster risk reduction, Participatory action research, Community risk mapping, International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, Colombia
- language
- English
- id
- 9146846
- date added to LUP
- 2024-03-13 14:12:22
- date last changed
- 2024-03-13 14:12:22
@misc{9146846,
abstract = {{In disaster risk management, participatory mapping (PM) closes spatial data gaps in communities by integrating local risk knowledge. The thesis examined the potential and limitations of the Sketch Map Tool (SMT) as a PM tool for community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) through an International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement case study. The research evaluated the SMT's applicability for community mapping in the Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment by the Colombian Red Cross for hazard analysis, capacity assessment, and action planning, using qualitative interviews, surveys, and community maps. A novel classification assessed the SMT as PM method and software within a participatory and collaborative mapping approach, identifying strengths, shortcomings, and recommendations against the backdrop of contextual PM factors. The SMT proved valuable for collecting, visualising, and analysing local spatial disaster risk knowledge as well as collaborative planning, bridging cost-effective and inclusive paper-based data collection with digital data analysis and storage for more efficient community mapping through digitalisation. Limitations arose from shortcomings in the tool’s effectiveness as a PM method, interrelating with restrictions and problems of software functions and usability, which if tackled may unfold the SMT’s unused potential as adaptable PM method. Future research could test its applicability for other hazards, vulnerability assessments, and ecosystem based DRR. This research establishes the SMT's significance as innovative tool of Participatory Action Research in DRR. With refinements, the SMT shows promise for expanded applications in adaptation planning and holistic disaster risk assessments with forensic approaches by mapping and examining risk drivers and human-nature interactions.}},
author = {{Letzner, Kimon}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Potential and Limitations of the Sketch Map Tool in the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement}},
year = {{2024}},
}