With Phase 1 of the Disaster Planning and Recovery Collaborative Research Project (Disaster project) recently winning Best in Class for Design Research at the Good Design Awards, and Phase 2 launching just last month, there has been an enormous learning experience for those involved presenting valuable insights relevant for organisations working to support their customers, staff and community across the different disaster events.
Last month we spoke with Sara Collins, Manager Community Strategy at Energy Queensland and Keith Diamond, Experience Design Director from Symplicit as part of our ‘Change Favours the Brave’ TCP Connect webinar series about their lessons and reflections from the Disaster project.
“The project’s objective from the outset was to provide tangible, actionable, cross-industry improvements to help people through times of disaster, and already we know of the value the insights are presenting for organisations across the ecosystem.” Sara Collins
The project’s objective from the outset was to provide tangible, actionable, cross-industry improvements to help people through times of disaster, and already we know of the value the insights are presenting for organisations across the ecosystem. Keith and Sara’s reflections showcase just how layered the experience of a disaster is and how every aspect of the project – from human-centred research to system mapping to building collective trust and alignment – is integral to its value.
The value of lived experience
“Lived experience is about trying to really understand what’s happening from the people that we’re trying to help – to get the full picture. Telling the story from the inside out rather than the outside in is a game changer and a way of approaching these really complex problems.” Keith Diamond
Lived experience is about trying to really understand what’s happening from the people that we’re trying to help – to get the full picture. Telling the story from the inside out rather than the outside in is a game changer and a way of approaching these really complex problems. Across interviews with 12 residents and 8 local business owners in Phase 1, and 22 deep-dive interviews and 3 focus groups consulting 35 frontline workers in Phase 2, the Disaster Project has always been driven by the input from lived experience.
Being guided by people’s lived experience enables us to see more clearly the unique, individual circumstances during a disaster and build empathy, challenge assumptions and ensure that the support we offer is tailored for every human, not just a privileged few.
Taking an ecosystem perspective
“Internally, we didn’t initially understand how insurance requirements overlapped with the process of getting the power reconnected, for us it was simply a matter of getting the paperwork at the end of the journey. This research boldly led us to have a conversation, and ask those questions, and at the end we were all the wiser to make decisions on how we look at our respective processes.” Sara Collins
Internally, we didn’t initially understand how insurance requirements overlapped with the process of getting the power reconnected, for us it was simply a matter of getting the paperwork at the end of the journey. This research then boldly led us to have a conversation, and ask those questions, and at the end we were all the wiser to make decisions on how we look at our respective processes. Understanding how we are connected to other organisations and finding the meeting points across sectors and industries was at the core of the Disaster Project.
The systems map developed in Phase 2 captures in an interactive way the interconnectivity of the ecosystem and outlines opportunities for collaboration and leverage amongst a cross-sector selection of organisations. The phased approach of the research that firstly looked into experiences from the community, and then explored the frontline and first responder perspective, allowed the Disaster Project to create a far more holistic and detailed understanding of the complex system that surrounds the human in a disaster scenario.
Trust and alignment is the core
“It’s really important to establish that North Star in that alignment and then trust in the process and trust that everyone is going to be moving forward in this exploration and by the end of it, you’re going to come up with an opportunity or solution that aligns with that shared vision.” Keith Diamond
It’s really important to establish that North Star in that alignment and then trust in the process and trust that everyone is going to be moving forward in this exploration and by the end of it, you’re going to come up with an opportunity or solution that aligns with that shared vision. Creating a safe space for all participating organisations to challenge and learn from each other is essential to any research that is wanting to drive change.
When bringing together a wide range of organisations from across sectors and industries, ensuring that everyone is aligned to a shared vision and then having trust and respect between these organisations is the best way to achieve positive outcomes. TCP’s facilitation in creating those connections and building that internal alignment has been an integral facet of the project’s success.
Moving from insight to action
“It’s about getting action from the research. We have the benefits of using the early insights to have those bold conversations and it’s about hoping the continued cross-sector collaboration and the information sharing will find a path to becoming more formalised in a sustainable way.” Sara Collins
It’s about getting action from the research. We have the benefits of using the early insights to have those bold conversations and it’s about hoping the continued cross-sector collaboration and the information sharing will find a path to becoming more formalised in a sustainable way. Ensuring that research doesn’t just sit on the table and comes with clear opportunities for action is essential to making positive change.
Phase 1 provided insights that people took back to their organisations to drive internal change, while the TCP Don’t Just Think Tank*, undertaken as part of Phase 2, was a key aspect of driving that transition from insight to collective action and builds upon the lessons taken from the research.
Developing, testing and trialing solutions, and understanding what works and what doesn’t in practice, helps to continue to build on the research and provides deeper insight into challenges and opportunities which can emerge through collaborative projects.
*See page 91 of the Phase 2 Report for more detail on TCP’s Disaster Planning and Recovery Don’t Just Think Tank
