Reconstruction and exploration of large-scale distributed operations—Multimedia tools for evaluation of emergency management response
This study presents an approach for computersupported reconstruction and exploration (R&E) of distributed tactical operations. The approach involves several steps for constructing a time-synchronized, event-driven multimedia model of the course of events collected from multiple sources in the operational environment and visualizes this model in the F-REX Studio multimedia suite. In this study, the use of R&E and F-REX is explored in large-scale emergency management exercises. The approach’s possibilities, limitations, and needs for modification are first outlined followed by a comparison to traditional quantitative and qualitative data collection methods applied in the same context. It is found that the R&E approach in combination with F-REX has several advantages in relation to the other methods, in terms of avoiding problems of retrospection and in being able to provide an overview of the entire operation based on multiple perspectives—addressing the question “why” something happened rather than “what happened.” Correctly used, multimedia-supported R&E can thereby be used for more solid evaluations of large-scale emergency management exercises and operations, thus contributing to more effective handling of future crises.