Case Study 3 – Rethinking the relationship between technology, environment and society to better manage disaster responses

Felicity Millman1, Zena Assaad2, Jean-Baptiste Filippi3

1 School of Cybernetics, Australian National University

2 School of Engineering, Australian National University

3 Université de Corse Pascal Paoli

The technology we have available as well as the policies we put in place to manage it can assist our bushfire prevention and management abilities. These technologies and policies may have unexpected secondary effects and impact communities, individuals and objects in unexpected ways. When considering the future, there are an array of alternative possibilities. There is no single future set-in stone. What we consider, what we imagine to be possible, and our perceptions of the world can impact the future we bring into being. By considering what may occur if a range of technologies are implemented, we can begin to direct ourselves towards a more preferable future.

This workshop aims to encourage participants to:

  1. Consider a range of possible bushfire futures and the technology, algorithms and policies which underpin them.
  2. Identify the array of different people, objects and places who might be impacted by these possible futures.
  3. Let us consider how our own perspectives and other perspectives impact the futures we consider.