COLLABORATIVE MODELING: SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT THROUGH TECHNICALLY INFORMED PARTICIPATORY DECISION SUPPORT PROCESSES

The presence of complex, interconnected social and natural systems with inherent uncertainties create an important role for stakeholders (those who are affected by, can affect, or have interest in the decision) in any decision process intended to lead us to more sustainable management of our natural resources. A participatory process that is well supported by sound science may produce better decisions by balancing multiple interests and identifying feasible and acceptable options. Collaborative modeling can support good decision making if done well. Three principles for effective collaborative modeling principles are illustrated with examples from an exploration of water resources and climate change futures in the Okanagan Basin, Canada. Dr. Forster mentored and assisted me through this project.

First and foremost, stakeholders are involved in model development early and often. Stakeholders should help to define the scope of the problem, including the range of issues that are relevant to the decision at hand. In the Okanagan case, stakeholders participated in six meetings over the course of one year. They helped to define the issues, scales, and developed influence diagrams before reviewing iterative versions of a computer model. Second, the computer model is accessible and transparent to stakeholders. Stakeholders who are involved become familiar with the model’s content and can provide feedback to the modeler in ways to improve its clarity. However, the modeler must provide ample documentation and design an intuitive user interface. For the Okanagan, we used STELLA software that has a graphical model interface. Dr. Forster designed colorful user interface pages that that guided users through choosing scenarios and alternatives, and contained interactive controllers and output graphs. Third, the model and the process must support the decision. Keep the level of detail and all efforts appropriate for and relevant to the project purpose. The Okanagan case’s purpose was to explore and discuss future scenarios and management options. The Okanagan Basin Water Board cited the study in their 2008 Sustainable Action Strategy report, evidence that the dialogue and model output are being considered by decision makers in the region.