Designing Change in Emergency Management: Introduction

Arriving at a Problem

The emergency management and broader emergency services community are talking about change. Of particular theoretical interest and global significance are the conversations about changing how people live and work around risk. What may be most interesting about these conversations is their desire to create fundamental, lasting change in the behavior and perceptions of others. Known as “history-making,” change of this variety leads to new ways of living in the world (Spinosa, Flores, & Dreyfus, 1999) and is the interest, outcome, and largely unrecognized intent of design.