SDSS and the Technical-Communicative Rationale: Communicating Flood Risk Information to Laymen that have Plural Perspectives

Abstract

This research investigates how a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) that is dedicated to communicate flood risk information can be analytically and communicatively supportive for laymen in flood prone areas that have varying preferences for communication methods. To divide residents into groups, the cultural theory of risk is used, by which residents’ perspectives can be classified into fatalist, hierarchist, individualist and egalitarian. Floodlabel.net, a prototype SDSS that aims to inform residents about their personal flood risk, is used as a case. Residents from Zwolle, Venlo and Dordrecht in the Netherlands are interviewed to get insights into the analytical support, communicative support and task-technology fit of floodlabel.net from a resident’s perspective. Since the four groups of cultural theory are mutually exclusive, it is impossible to develop one communication method that appeals all types of residents. However, this research concluded that improvements for floodlabel.net regarding the analytical and communicative support could be beneficial for bringing residents in general and residents from a specific group of cultural theory to action. Yet, a platform such as floodlabel.net should always be assisted by other communication methods for an optimal flood risk communication.