Bill Bratton and Zach Tumin: The New “Collabonomics” of Disaster Management

Last week’s New England snowmeggadon showed us how far social media has come in making collaboration across the boundaries of government and citizens easy. And it offered stark contrast between those who get it and use it, and those who don’t.

Social media and the digital devices that connect us change the collabonomics of disaster management — and practically demand that in dealing with disaster governments make collaboration via social media the first play they run.

What’s collabonomics? It’s the political economy of collaboration.

In today’s networked world social media changes the politics of collaboration, and the economics.

Citizens expect the responsiveness and engagement that social media makes possible. “I have knowledge,” they say. “Engage me. Use it. And give me back all the knowledge you’ve scooped up from others.”

They know perfectly well that social media takes the friction out of find-engage-transact. Government can cheaply learn what citizens know. And, no citizen has to stand out there screaming to get someone in government’s attention.

With that, the networked world – our connections, our devices – makes every citizen a sensor. Governments can see the totality of the disaster before them as never before.

That awareness drops right to the bottom line of improved performance – and enhanced satisfaction.

Whether by Facebook, Twitter, Ushahidi – take your pick – it’s safe to say that social media has transformed the collabonomics of disaster management.

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