From Intercrisis to Intracrisis Learning

This article focuses on collective learning during crises, i.e., intracrisis learning. Intracrisis learning is challenging because decisionmakers must act in a short time frame under conditions of cognitive limitations and political pressure. Intracrisis learning is also complicated by the fact that it usually involves a network of responders, rather than a single organization. The article examines the role of a structural framework, the Incident Command System, in mediating this challenge. The article also describes an example of intracrisis learning, where responders learned from one another, and via virtual experiences, information systems, learning forums, and standard operating procedures.