Hub of Computing & Data Science
Hub of Computing
& Data Science
& Data Science
HCDS at ICIS: Designing Intelligent Situation Maps for Flood Emergency Management
6 January 2026, by Marten Borchers & Janis-Marie Paul
Photo: Martin Semmann/UHH
At this year’s ICIS – International Conference on Information Systems, the flagship conference of the global AIS community, our paper
“Emergency Management: Designing Situation Maps to Support Rescue Forces during Flood Disasters” was presented by Marten Borchers.
The presentation was delivered on behalf of the co-authors Enrico Milutzki, Lisa Fetzer, Valeria Magdych, Eva Bittner, and Martin Semmann.
The paper is a key outcome of the RESCUE-MATE project, in which the Hub of Computing and Data Science (HCDS) plays a central role. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and focuses on developing intelligent, data-driven solutions for civil disaster management in the city of Hamburg.
Intelligent Situation Maps for Disaster Respons
The publication centers on the design and evaluation of novel digital situation maps aimed at supporting emergency responders and disaster management organizations during flood events.
These maps integrate heterogeneous data sources and enable improved situational awareness, coordination, and decision support — particularly in dynamic and time-critical scenarios.
The paper presents the results of the first Design Science Research cycle, including:
- the development of a functional prototype
- its evaluation with relevant stakeholders
- the derivation of eight key design principles for digital situation awareness systems in disaster management
These principles provide a foundation for subsequent development cycles within the project and contribute to the broader academic discourse on designing data-driven information systems for crisis contexts.
By presenting this work at ICIS, HCDS contributes to the international discussion on digital resilience, information systems design, and AI-supported emergency management, strengthening the connection between research and real-world impact.
