Advancing smart disaster response by leveraging social sensing and mobile technology

The integration of citizen science, volunteered geographic information (VGI), and Web/mobile geographic information systems (GIS) has demonstrated significant potential in enhancing disaster response efforts. However, delivering timely, comprehensive and trustworthy information remains a major challenge, particularly when relying on passive data collection from social media. While researchers have developed specialized platforms for natural hazards and advanced models for data analysis, few studies present a holistic lifecycle from stakeholder-oriented design through development, especially with attention to the design phase. To address this gap, this paper introduces an agile and iterative user-centered framework for designing and developing a participatory mobile GIS application for collecting reliable, first-hand observations. A pilot study conducted during real-world hurricane events demonstrated the application’s ability to operate both in real time and offline, enabling the collection of precise geotagged data, categorized labels, and diverse media formats. The results highlight the potential of this active, stakeholder-centered approach to support intelligent disaster response strategies and complement passive and authoritative data sources. This paper advances the integration of citizen science and mobile GIS by providing a framework that follows user-centered design principles to inform future disaster response applications.