Including the Human in Humanitarian Big Data

October 27, 2011

UN Global Pulse

Sara-Jayne Farmer

UN Global Pulse

Hunchworks

System

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The Problem

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The Solution

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2008 – 2011: Information Gaps

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Data Sources

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Not knowing who, what, where

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Give us Your Data (Results)

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UN Global Pulse

Hunchworks

System

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Including Insight

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What is Hunchworks

» A hypothesis management system to detect weak signals

» A tool to combine the strengths of humans and data mining tools (wrapped as intelligent agents)

» A tool to post ‘hunches’ about anomolous or interesting data and observations

» A tool to engage and connect the global network of UN and international development field staff with analysts and decision makers

» A tool to rapidly collect information about emerging situations

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Hunch Mechanism

» Detect an interesting “weak signal”

» Hypothesize (make a hunch) about the nature of the signal

» Share the hunch with your social graph

» Attract related signals and evidence

» Verify hunch by engaging communities of practice

» Act

» Use confirmed hunch to refine trust within the system

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Connections

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Trust

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UN Global Pulse

Hunchworks

System»

Action

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Environment

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Thank You

• http://www.unglobalpulse.org

• @unglobalpulse

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