How practitioner feedback transformed the SYNERGIES Knowledge Base from a repository into a search-driven knowledge environment

After almost every disaster, valuable lessons are documented. Innovative communication methods are developed, new technologies are tested, and practical guidance is produced. Across Europe, research projects, public authorities and emergency organisations continuously generate knowledge that can improve disaster preparedness and crisis communication.

Yet finding that knowledge is often surprisingly difficult. The problem is rarely a lack of information. More often, it is knowing where to look and which sources to trust.

Information is spread across project websites, reports, scientific publications and organisational repositories. Different terms are used to describe similar concepts, valuable experiences remain hidden in lengthy deliverables, and practitioners rarely have the time to search through dozens of documents when preparing for future emergencies.

When we started developing the Knowledge Base for Innovative Channels and Communication (KB4ICC) within the SYNERGIES project, we believed that collecting this information would be our biggest challenge. It quickly became clear that gathering knowledge was only the first step. The real challenge was making it easy to discover, understand and reuse.

That insight fundamentally changed how we approached the platform.

Listening to practitioners changed the platform

The first concept for the KB4ICC looked much like many existing knowledge repositories. It organised relevant resources into structured categories and provided access to project results and communication practices.

But throughout the project, we repeatedly placed early versions of the platform in front of the people who would eventually use it.

In addition to the continuous involvement of the SYNERGIES International Advisory Board, we worked closely with stakeholders in the three Preparedness Cases, La Réunion, Rotterdam and Malta. Through workshops and hands-on evaluations, representatives from public authorities, first responders, research organisations and civil society explored the platform, tested its functionality and shared their expectations for a practical communication knowledge environment.

Rather than simply demonstrating the platform, participants were encouraged to explore it themselves, search for relevant information and openly discuss what worked well and what could be improved. Interactive feedback sessions, including Mentimeter surveys and open discussions, helped identify recurring priorities such as easier access to trusted sources, locally relevant content and intuitive search.

Across the three Preparedness Cases and discussions with the Advisory Board, the feedback was remarkably consistent.

Participants appreciated having European experiences and operational knowledge available through a single interface, but they were looking for much more than another digital library. They wanted faster access to trusted information, better ways of discovering relevant content, clearer references to original sources, and knowledge that reflected their own local context.

Those conversations became the driving force behind the platform’s evolution.

Instead of focusing on storing information, the KB4ICC gradually evolved into a search-driven knowledge environment that connects curated knowledge from multiple trusted sources and makes it easier to discover and reuse.

Around 20 representatives from authorities, emergency services, research and civil society participated in the final KB4ICC validation workshop in Malta.

From documents to knowledge discovery

The public KB4ICC provides access to more than 500 curated entries covering communication methods, technologies, guidelines and lessons learned related to disaster preparedness and crisis communication.

Topics range from early warning and social media communication to crowdsourcing, community engagement, and addressing misinformation and disinformation. Users do not need to know exactly where information is stored or which terminology was originally used. Semantic search helps them discover relevant content based on meaning rather than exact keywords.

Users no longer need to navigate through numerous project websites, reports, repositories and document collections. Instead, they can search across a curated knowledge environment that brings together communication methods, technologies, guidelines and lessons learned from multiple trusted sources. The KB4ICC does not duplicate content. Instead, it connects resources through semantic search while maintaining clear references to the original source, allowing users to discover relevant knowledge together with its context and provenance.

Beyond the public knowledge collection, the three Preparedness Cases also benefited from contextualised solution collections developed together with local stakeholders. Relevant resources were selected and organised to reflect the communication priorities, hazards and organisational structures of La Réunion, Rotterdam and Malta. This allowed participants to explore both broader European experiences and knowledge tailored to their own operational context through the same search environment.

The result is not simply a collection of documents, but a search-driven entry point that helps users discover, connect and reuse communication knowledge from trusted sources across different regions and organisations.

Semantic search helps users discover relevant communication approaches even when different terminology is used.

Keeping knowledge alive beyond SYNERGIES

One important question remained throughout the project.

What happens once the project itself comes to an end?

Too often, valuable knowledge risks becoming difficult to find again after project websites disappear or deliverables become buried in archives. We wanted the work completed during SYNERGIES to remain accessible long after the project’s lifetime.

This is why the KB4ICC is complemented by the SYNERGIES presence within the DRS-Hub, hosted by CMINE. The DRS-Hub moves beyond presenting project reports by introducing practical user journeys that start with real preparedness questions. Users can explore topics such as improving communication in preparedness or identifying concrete solutions, before being guided towards the most relevant SYNERGIES tools and resources.

Together, the public KB4ICC and the DRS-Hub provide a lasting entry point to communication methods, technologies and lessons learned developed within SYNERGIES and related European initiatives. Instead of starting from scratch, organisations can discover existing knowledge, adapt proven approaches and build upon the experiences of others.

From project result to lasting resource

The biggest lesson from developing the KB4ICC is surprisingly simple.

Europe does not lack knowledge about disaster communication. What is often missing is an easy way to find, connect and apply that knowledge in practice.

The KB4ICC is our contribution to addressing that challenge. By connecting communication methods, technologies, guidelines and lessons learned from trusted sources in a search-driven knowledge environment, we hope to make valuable knowledge more accessible for everyone working to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience.

The public version of the KB4ICC is now available and ready to explore. We also welcome organisations interested in contextualised knowledge collections or future collaboration to get in touch with the safety innovation center team.

We hope the KB4ICC encourages organisations across Europe to discover existing knowledge, adapt proven communication approaches and continue building a stronger culture of preparedness together.

Interested in collaboration? Contact us at info@safetyinnovation.center.