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Digital Disaster Management Manifesto

As researchers and practitioners at the intersection of computing systems and disaster management, we are committed to improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and fairness of saving lives and safeguarding critical assets. We assert that disaster management technologies must be guided by the following principles:

1. Integrating Pre- and Post-Disaster Phases

Pre-disaster efforts are often developed in isolation from operational realities, limiting their effectiveness. In practice, preparedness, response, and recovery are inherently interconnected. Core functions, Awareness, Demand Generation, Optimisation, Performance Prediction, Tracking and Control, and Simulation (ADOPTS), must be supported across all phases as a continuous lifecycle. We therefore assert that disaster management must be designed as an integrated system, grounded in shared models, consistent data, and continuous feedback.

2. Designing for Real Disaster Conditions

Existing systems often assume complete information, linear coordination, and sufficient time—conditions that do not hold in practice. Disaster response is dynamic, uncertain, and time critical. We therefore assert that systems must explicitly embrace uncertainty, decentralisation, and real-time adaptation.

3. Leveraging Advanced Digitalisation

Current processes rely on manual decisions and fragmented digital support, leading to inefficiencies and bottlenecks. We therefore assert that advanced digitalisation must be fully leveraged to enable integration, coordination, and intelligent, data-driven control.

4. Eliminating Fragmentation

Fragmented systems create inconsistent situational awareness, conflicting information, weak coordination, and loss of institutional knowledge. We therefore assert that disaster management systems must integrate data, processes, and communication to enable clarity, coordination, and timely action.

5. System-Level Commitments

Effective systems must provide:

  • A shared, trusted operational picture across agencies

  • Resilient tools usable under harsh conditions

  • Fast, reliable data flows matching the pace of events

  • Transparent coordination and visibility of actions

  • Consistent information, avoiding duplication and gaps

  • Mechanisms for validation and conflict resolution

  • Real-time geospatial awareness and decision support

  • Robustness under uncertainty

6. A Shift in Mindset

We must move beyond siloed, technology-driven development and post-event analysis toward human-centred design, interoperability, and continuous learning.

7. Co-Creation

Solutions must be co-developed by researchers, developers, responders, and policy makers to ensure relevance, trust, and effective adoption.

Closing Statement

We call upon researchers, industry, and public institutions to adopt these principles and collaboratively develop disaster management systems that are integrated, adaptive, and capable of operating under real-world conditions.

  • Mehmet Akşit, Sonay Investment, WADDEM, Emeritus University of Twente, The Netherlands

  • Ali Asgary, York University Director, CIFAL York, Executive Director, Advanced Disaster, Emergency and Rapid-response Simulation (ADERSIM), York University

  • Ali Babar, AI Research Leader & Solution Architect, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

  • Valter Vieira de Camargo, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil

  • Nur Nasuha Mohd Daud, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

  • Saman Ghaffarian, Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction, UCL, United Kingdom

  • Georgi Georgiev, Georgiev Consulting GmbH, Germany

  • Prof. Dr. Mohd Yamani Idna, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

  • Dato' Dr. (H.C.) Zahier Khairul, Chief Strategy Officer, Malaysia Emergency Action Force (MEAF), Malaysia

  • Francesco Marcelloni, University of Pisa, Italy

  • João Luiz Moreira, University of Twente, The Netherlands

  • Mert Özkaya, Yeditepe University, Türkiye

  • Takeshi Sagiya, Nagoya University, Japan

  • Miroslav Svitek, Czech Technical University in Prague, The Czech Republic

  • Bedir Tekinerdogan, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

  • Seher Turan (MSc), PhD Student, University of Twente, The Netherlands

  • Ken Wakita, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan

  • Raja Jamilah Raja Yusof, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

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