Changing Collaborative Tools: Introductory Dynamics of Digital Collaborative Tools in Civil Security’s Ecologies of Artifacts

Abstract

Introducing new digital collaborative tools in civil security is a recurrent issue in crisis informatics research. Our work aims to understand key dynamics in the introduction of the tools used for collaboration by civil security through the lens of the concept of ecology of artifacts (EoA). We identify multiple evolutionary movements based on real-life tool's cases inside the EoA of French firefighters of the Moselle region (SDIS57). Our research method is based on qualitative data collection through inter-service training observations and semi-directive interviews with active professionals. A thematic analysis reveals a dense, sometimes redundant and inter-connected EoA, constantly evolving through at least 6 movements: 4 related to the introduction of a new digital collaborative tool (personal-to-organizational, bottom-up, top-down and horizontal), 1 related to the realignment of an adopted tool and 1 related to a tool's replacement. Our research aims to facilitate the introduction of future digital collaborative tools for civil security and guide crisis management system's design and policy makers) towards working with pre-existing EoA instead of replacing it.