Designing a diving operations crisis management model with a digital governance and smart technologies approach

Abstract

This study aimed to design a crisis management model for diving operations through digital governance and smart technologies. Given the high-risk nature of diving, the role of data, institutional coordination, and technology in prevention and response, an exploratory qualitative approach and thematic analysis were used (Glaser et al., 2011). The participants included experts in crisis management, digital governance, maritime safety, and diving operations. Purposive sampling continued until theoretical saturation was reached, analyzing 19 semi-structured interviews. To ensure trustworthiness, member checking, peer debriefing, and intercoder agreement were employed. Findings suggest that the diving crisis management model comprises four overarching themes: operational, managerial, governance, and technological levels. At the operational level, team preparedness, competency assessment, equipment management, and environmental monitoring were key risk-reduction factors. Managerially, a chain of command, operations control centers, mission data analysis, and training empowerment played central roles. Governance findings highlighted standardization, digital regulation, data governance, information protection, and inter-organizational collaboration as foundations for accountability and institutional learning. Technologically, stable communication infrastructure, IoT, AI, cloud computing, management dashboards, and digital twins were identified as enablers for proactive decision-making and rapid response. Ultimately, the study provides an integrated, data-driven framework that enhances diving operation resilience and safety by transforming data into actionable decisions and fostering institutional coordination