This training material summarizes the lessons learnt from the CascEff project on how to improve current incident management practices. The lesson recommends to take the current multidisciplinary practices for emergency planning and incident response to a higher level – that of transdisciplinarity – and explains why and how transdisciplinarity can improve incident management.

Transdisciplinarity, as an approach to incident management, to better address current incident management practices and challenges in case of large scale events, involving possible or real cascading effects can be based on a more systems thinking and transdisciplinary approach.

A transdisciplinary approach to incident management looks at all relevant aspects of the event from a holistic perspective while considering all systems involved: originating as as well as impacted. This adds a cognitive and operational level to current multidisciplinary practices of incident management by taking into account links between the relevant processes (institutional, risk management: prevention, preparedness, response, recovery). Furthermore, this approach also takes into consideration synergies between the different actors involved in terms of responsibilities, means and available information.

A systems thinking-based transdisciplinary approach provides more insight in all relevant aspects of incident management with cascading effects and allows for an improved, more sound and efficient incident management.

The CascEff Incident Evolution Methodology and Tool are exampels of a transdisciplinary methodology and instrument, providing a substantial contribution to the improvement of current incident management practices.

The final version of the Training Material on improved incident management is available at the following link: https://vimeo.com/223763705

Additional information can be found in the report “Recommendations for improvement of current incident management in crisis” (D1.5)

Contact person
Kathleen van Heuverswyn