Ermolaeva P., Basheva O., Cherkasova A. (2025) Issledovanie opyta pol'zovateley mobil'nyKh prilozheniy v sfere chrezvychaynykh situatsiy: mezhdu sotsial'nym znaniem i praktikoy [Exploring the Experiences of Mobile App Users in Emergency Situations: The Relationship between Social Knowledge and Practice]. Zhurnal issledovanii sotsial’noi politiki [The Journal of Social Policy Studies], 23 (1): 117–138.DOI: 10.17323 ...

Текст статьи на сайте журнала URL: https://jsps.hse.ru/index.php/jsps/article/view/27122 (дата обращения 09.06.2025)

Abstract

This article explores the rapidly evolving field of social knowledge production, with a focus on user experience research applied to volunteer technologies in emergency situations. Effective communication during crises hinges on understanding the interaction between disaster victims, volunteers, and rescue services with these technologies. The usability and clarity of these technologies are critical, as response time and feedback speed directly impact the effectiveness of rescue operations. This study aims to overcome the epistemological constraints that often limit user experience research, particularly in the context of volunteer activities during emergencies. Such constraints often include technocratic determinism which prioritizes technological aspects while neglecting broader social and political contexts. To address this issue, we conducted remote, moderated usability testing of the 'Spasatel’ Ryadom' and 'Obereg' applications and analyzed how users perceived these tools in terms of usability, speed, and efficiency in an emergency response situation. The results showed that both applications reliably perform their primary functions without critical errors. Users emphasized that their main advantage is enabling faster assistance from volunteers compared to official rescue services. Testing also revealed high levels of efficiency and productivity in user interactions. In addition, for 'Spasatel Ryadom,' there was a discrepancy between overall user satisfaction and higher ratings for efficiency and productivity. This study adopts a hybrid theoretical approach, combining participatory research with science and technology studies (STS). In participatory research, respondents are positioned as active participants in social knowledge, and the findings are translated into practical recommendations for developers. The STS approach examined how socio-­technical and functional constraints influence user experience. Beyond technical barriers, the study highlights the broader issue of digital constraints, particularly the 'layering' of digital inequality onto social inequality in emergency response. Inequalities in access to communication tools and digital technologies, driven by disparities in social, political, gender, educational, and age-related factors, result in an uneven distribution of the benefits of these technologies during and after crises.