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Participation level:

  • High (Stakeholders participate in decision)

Innovation level:

  • High (Innovative)

Facilitator skill level, and other support required:

  • High (Specialist skills)

Can be used for:

  • Develop community capacity
  • Develop action plan
Number of people required to help organize:
  • Large (> 12 people)

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MODSS technology creates programs that can address widespread, significant problems, and engages stakeholders in considering the best compromise in complex environmental issues where there are many, often conflicting, criteria.


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MODSS offers better solutions that allow flexible responses to complex environmental issues.


 

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  • Can offer ways to assess a variety of options and their consequences in a complex environmental issue.
  • Can be incorporated into existing computer programs and operating systems, simply adding the components that are needed for decision-making Support.
  • Can provide a structured approach to engage stakeholders in complex environmental issues where there are many, and possibly conflicting, criteria to consider.

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  • Can be very high cost for specialist programming.
  • Can exclude those who are not computer literate.
  • Needs to have been sufficiently used to be validated and minimise software bugs.

 

Organizing Multi Objective Decision Support System

How many people to organize?

Time required:


Cost:

  • High (> AUD$10,000)

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  • Determine the issue or management decision that needs to be addressed.
  • Review existing databases, programs and options.
  • Using a program such as The Facilitator, add on the decision support tools needed.
  • Trial the Decision Support tool.
  • Modify as needed to develop an operational tool for natural resource management decision making.

 

References

 

Description

Multi-Objective Decision Support Systems (MODSS) technology allows programs to be developed that focus on management effects in environmental issues. This technology is part of the science of environmental management, which recognizes that natural and social systems are dynamic, interlinked and unpredictable, and need complex systems that allow flexible responses.


Management that uses rigid control mechanisms can contribute to the breakdown of socio-ecological systems. Because of this, newer approaches stressing flexibility and responsiveness have developed, and Decision Support technology has developed that allows for the inter-connectedness of ecological systems. Such computer programs describe the multiple effects of any change, and provide a structured approach to selecting a management plan based on a group's preferences and tradeoffs. (based on Heilman et al, 2000).


This page originally copied with permission from the Citizens Science Toolbox


Category Practice