“I mean, I can lift a shovel”: Design Skills in Disaster Response
Summary
Too often we withhold design efforts for "the best of times" - to make improvements or optimize already good systems. In this talk, Emily Danielson highlights the importance of design skills in "the worst of times." Drawing on experiences following Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida, Danielson will illustrate the impact of applying design skills to recovery work, such as: Optimizing data collection to better triage the needs of flooded homeowners (and the data systems being used by the FBI to take down a corrupt contractor) The importance of service design and cultural competence in food distribution Contextual research for a mobile application on a shrimp boat at 2am Those who attend can expect to leave with the confidence to act quickly in contributing their skills as designers following a disaster; the knowledge of how to advocate for design efforts in states of emergency; and an understanding of the value design can bring in times of chaos.
Key Insights
-
•
Disaster response benefits from diverse design skills including service design, visual design, database design, and user research.
-
•
After Hurricane Katrina, lack of inclusive service design led to services being used more by volunteers and workers than by those directly impacted.
-
•
Data management evolved from scraps of paper to shared Google Docs, which later served as evidence in a federal corruption case.
-
•
The Deepwater Horizon app failed because it ignored user context like literacy levels, connectivity issues, and cultural communication preferences.
-
•
Effective communication in crises requires rapid iteration and user-centered redesign, as exemplified by Luna Moore's work improving ExxonMobil’s COVID-19 emails.
-
•
Disaster recovery phases include preparation, warning, impact, relief, recovery, and stabilization, each requiring different design approaches.
-
•
Core disaster response teams should blend locals close to the disaster with remote helpers to leverage emotional stability and resources.
-
•
Minimizing user stress by simplifying communications and providing direct human contact is the most important design principle in disaster recovery.
-
•
User research in disaster settings relies heavily on in-person observation and conversations, rather than formal surveys or digital tools.
-
•
Designers are rarely formally recruited for disaster response; they must be proactive in identifying problems and plugging in to help effectively.
Notable Quotes
"Our design skills can help to create Clarity in times of Chaos."
"Most services were being used by people not directly impacted by the storm but by construction workers and volunteers."
"We turned all of these files in boxes into an Excel file, and then into a shared Google Doc accessible to multiple people."
"The app was a huge flop because we let our excitement about helping people let our design principles slide."
"Designer Luna Moore transformed our COVID-19 emails and noticeably changed employee behavior."
"Minimizing a user’s stress is the best possible design principle for disaster recovery."
"Disasters aren’t just big front page events, they include minor crises like loss of a loved one or housing insecurity."
"Communication with users will be primarily in person, over the phone, or maybe some texting—not surveys."
"FEMA is not going to stand up a UX department; it’s our responsibility to witness and find ways to help."
"Be extra patient and gentle with people, especially if they don’t pick up your call after a disaster."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Junior engineers often resent having to create OKRs that feel disconnected from their day-to-day work."
Bria Alexander Benson Low Natalya Pemberton Stephanie GoldthorpeOKRs—Helpful or Harmful?
January 20, 2022
"Disruptive innovation is about changing customer behavior, not shipping features."
Jeff GothelfInnovation Studios: the Engines of Enterprise Experimentation
May 14, 2015
"We ended up piloting a group in Tokyo for non-English speakers, which was key to testing the language challenge."
Wyatt HaymanGlobal Research Panels
August 8, 2020
"It’s surprisingly easy to bring in your own UX or marketing personas to run simulated testing with VO Pulse."
Gillian Salerno-Rebic Mark MicheliFrom Insight to Impact: How JourneySpark Used WEVO Pulse + Pro to Drive a 50% Lift in Ad Engagement
June 11, 2025
"It’s very important to set up a network of people already working on inclusion to share learnings and build mutual understanding."
Yalenka Mariën Marie MervaillieDesigning for Digital Inclusion in the Belgian Government
December 8, 2021
"AI can standardize work, but it's on the designer’s court now to bring humanity, emotion, and originality to the work."
Angelos ArnisNavigating the Rapid Shifts in Tech's Turbulent Terrain
October 2, 2023
"I believe that maturity models could help define the strategy of the design team."
Benjamin RealMaturity Models: A Core Tool for Creating a DesignOps Strategy
October 1, 2021
"It was really hard to get senior stakeholder attention when starting late, especially when the topic is not fashionable anymore."
Magdalena ZadaraZero Hour: How to Get Far Quickly When Starting Your Digital Service Unit Late
November 16, 2022
"Designing for edge cases can lead to solutions everyone wants to use because they’re more comfortable and inclusive."
Billy CarlsonIdeation tips for Product Managers
December 6, 2022
