HOW TO SET UP HIC KIOSK Each place has different type of problem, difficulties, environment, etc and also the kiosk, therefore it is strongly recommended not to impose a certain Kiosk model due to those issues. However, there are always some standards to be followed in starting a HIC Kiosk. Maintaining the core products requires high commitment and professionalism in order to have useful and reliable products to support coordination. 1. Why Kiosk? Answer To be in the field, HIC power is in its field presence. Kiosk is UN’s face outwards, and Kiosk performance can affect the whole UN first impression. Kiosk can not be considered as a reception place but it is a place where people can access information and products to assist them with initial coordination products. To provide core products to support coordination, basic products like HIC Core Products (Meeting Schedule, Contact Directory, Who What Where, Geographic and Thematic Maps) can be good coordination tools. To collect data to produce core products, to be able to produce useful products especially the thematic maps, HIC need data from outside because HIC can not do direct data collection. Kiosk can be a place for information sharing as they can drop their data and grab other data from others. We do the value added and give it back to them. Information sharing platform, one stop shop, when all information is scattered in all different places, HIC Kiosk can be a good solution where people can find products needed including maps and of course all free of charge. 2. What is the Structure and Process? Answer: Space and Location Staff Recruitment Basic Equipment to Develop Core Product Build Up Networking Maintain and Update Product and Relationship 3. What do we need to set up a kiosk? Answer Space and Location, a space that can be visible and accessible for humanitarian actors in the field, enough space for basic equipment and enough room to display products. Ideally, the kiosk should be in the UN Camp where most important players are. HIC Banner, a big banner or a big HIC logo- HIC kiosk visibility and identification. Basic Info about HIC and its mandate, Boards with basic info about HIC mandates and services. “What is HIC” and “What We Do” boards could be placed outside the kiosk for people to read before entering the Kiosk.
Internet Facilities, to be able to get the latest info like meeting minutes, and other info, website, etc. Internet facilities could also motivate NGOs to come more to the kiosk.
3. What are the resources available to set up the kiosk? Answer Internal Resources Staffing Information Assistant, an active and smart local staff with strong communication skill and good understanding of UN agencies and mandates is strongly recommended. Local knowledge can be a benefit when the information has not been gathered. The job in the kiosk requires a lot of energy as well as patience especially when dealing with clients. Liaison Officer, to build up networking with all humanitarian actors, work closely with OCHA and other UN agencies, Government and NGOs to support coordination by promoting HIC’s mandate and what HIC can do to support coordination. Technical Personnel (Data and GIS), to process and produce data and information obtained to become product as soon as they can. Information Assistant and Liaison Officer need full support because of their limited technical skill, so they will be able to come back to costumers again with value added information so the clients can be convinced to share more. Core Products, Contact Directory, Who What Where List and Map, Meeting Schedule, and Map (Administrative and Town Map), Displaced Location List. These are “a must” products that we at least need to have to be able to run a kiosk. Equipments (Laptop, Printer, GPS Units, Minimum Furniture), the main thing to start a kiosk is to have a space and a computer where an information assistant can start on working with HIC core products. HIC Website1 and Relief Web, as additional sources for information. External Resources OCHA, being primary resource since their mandate is to coordinate the humanitarian emergency relief operation. OCHA attends all cluster and coordination meetings therefore OCHA can help HIC in terms of data collection and identifying the needs of the cluster. UNJLC, also one of UN common services who provide information on logistic and road. Assist them in their info dissemination UNHAS, flight utilization by UNHAS can help kiosk to expand our market, such as passenger request forms, cargo request forms, flight requirements, etc. At the same time, also assist UNHAS to disseminate their information NGOs, from their initial field assessment and specific data collection. Local Government, to obtain basic data like population figures, and boundaries.
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HIC has established in 13 countries so far, each website contains important and useful information. Visit www.humanitarianinfo.org to understand more about HIC.
Military could be good data source for HIC, provide them with our basic core products and they will soon share their data collection (depends on the nature of emergency and political situation).
4. How to create Contact Directory, Meeting Schedule and Who What Where? Answer: Contact Directory No matter how simple it is and even though you only have 5 agencies registeredrelease it. It can always be in a very simple Excel format with minimum items such as agency, address, and contact person and phone number2. It will be improved gradually. Meeting Schedule OCHA is the best source to create this meeting schedule since OCHA has to coordinate all coordination and cluster meetings; HIC can compile the information into a schedule. HIC is responsible to update and maintain the schedule which should be simple, easy to read and understand. Who What Where To design a WhoWhat Where, create an A3 blank form with list of location horizontally and list of clusters vertically and insert the available data into the form. 5. What other products that HIC can disseminate in the Kiosk? Answer: P Code, HIC Liaison Officer has to be pro active liaising with government institution to obtain their population data, census, etc. List of displaced location, Cluster Information, Meeting minutes, matrices, key documents, best practices, guidelines/manuals, bulletin, etc. Interactive Map Pak, Once we have sufficient data/information in place, this pack would be very convenient as it provides software application for people to be able to generate maps based on the needs. 5. What are the tricks to convince humanitarian actors to use kiosk as their information sharing platform and as a source for incoming data/information? Answer: Bribe clients with HIC Core Products, the core products can be used as a start to bribe costumers right at the beginning, so be prepared with good, simple and reliable products. Build up good relationship with clients,
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During an emergency, hundreds of humanitarian actors arrive without knowing where they will be based or staying and also the high turn over create the complexities.
Be Professional, when you received data and information, follow up with data coordinator and get back to them directly. Update all the information as soon as possible3. Be Friendly, do not treat client as client, treat them as a friend, so that when you are helping them with requests you will feel like helping a friend instead of working. Make them comfortable with the Kiosk, maintain the kiosk clean and in order. Provide good/useful products and services, Make them addicted, go to the kiosk to get the latest info of the day. Consider all contacts are valuable asset of the HIC, bear in mind, during the emergency stage, every single contact is very valuable. Even though the costumers ask for non relevant questions and you know the answer, just answer, just being helpful! You will understand in a week time.
6. How to measure Kiosk performance? Answer: Clients Statistic There should be a visitor log that shows number of persons from agencies who come to kiosk for information. The log should consist at least date, agency, and make a simple analysis to show the progress. It would be needed for evaluation. Survey Form Create some questionnaires with some quantitative and qualitative queries to be able to measure the performance based on the standard indicators. (Do we have certain indicators for that? Are we using donor’s indicators for measurement?)
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During the initial phase of the emergency period, it is not possible to update products or information in certain timing. Sometimes you have to update as soon as you get an update. Working for an information centre agency requires a lot of energy and commitment. Because if it’s too late the information wont be useful anymore. All efforts that have been put would be useless.