S ystems Analysis Laboratory Helsinki University of We have the tools How to attract the people? Creating a culture of Web-based participation in environmental decision making Jyri Mustajoki Raimo P. Hämäläinen Mika Marttunen
Dec 30, 2015
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
We have the toolsHow to attract the people?
Creating a culture of Web-based participation in environmental decision making
Jyri MustajokiRaimo P. Hämäläinen
Mika Marttunen
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
World Wide Web
New possibilities to support participatory decision making • Decision analytical tools• Tools for participation
Experiences from environmental management• Multiple objectives• Multiple stakeholders
• Often geographically in different locations
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
We have the tools
www.Decisionarium.hut.fi:Opinions-Online (www.opinion.hut.fi)Platform for global participation, voting, surveys, and group decisions
Web-HIPRE (www.hipre.hut.fi)Value tree based decision analysis and support
Joint Gains (www.jointgains.hut.fi)
Multi-party negotiation support with the method of improving directions
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Collaboration
Finnish Environment Institute• Water Resources Unit
Regional Environmental Centres• Southeast Finland, North
Savo, Pirkanmaa
Academy of Finland• RESTORE, SUNARE and
PRIMEREG projects
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Stages in participatory environmental policy processes
1. Initial screening of stakeholder concerns
2. Evaluation and modeling of the problem
3. Informing the public, e.g. about decision recommendations
4. Collecting and analysing feedback from the public
5. Decision on policy recommendations
6. Public evaluates the decision
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Web-software
We have Web-based software for each task of the process
To what extent can these tools be used?• Everyone does not yet have a Web access
What are the requirements for the use?
Experiences of the Web support in lake regulation management
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Development of lake regulation policies
Lake Päijänne• 1995–1999
Lake Kallavesi• 1999–2001
Pirkanmaa lakes• 1999–2003
In collaboration with Finnish Environment Institute
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Lake PäijänneSteering group, 20 people• Decision analysis interviews with HIPRE and
Web-HIPRE• Typical models publicly available on the Web
Initial screening by mail questionnaires
10 public meetings, including interactive DA
Closing seminar• 51 participants• The results of the value tree analyses• Opinions-Online feedback
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Lake KallavesiSteering group, 20 people• 6 meetings
Mail questionnaire to public about the regulation recommendations• Sample of 387 persons (response rate 39 %)• Results posted on the Web by Opinions-Online
7 public meetings (84 participants)
Opinions-Online was a public alternative to mail questionnaire • 28 responses
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Pirkanmaa lakes
Steering group, 40 people• 6 workshops/meetings
Initial screening by mail questionnaire• Sample of 3216 persons (response rate 36 %)
8 workshops/seminars/meetings related to specific issues
Testing of Image Theory
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Pirkanmaa lakes
Opinions-Online was the primary way to collect public feedback about the regulation recommendations• Web questionnaire and material broadly
advertised on:• e-Mail lists, Web pages• Local newspapers • Local radio and TV
• Possibility to alternatively reply by mail• 333 replied on the Web and 6 by mail
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Pirkanmaa lakes Web site
Information about the recommendations on the Web
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Visits to the Web questionnaire
Open from February 19 to March 7
Weekend
Weekend
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Pirkanmaa lakes Web site
Results available for the public
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Public
Web-HIPRE
Opinions-Online
Web Site
Decisio
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Steering Group
Results
to Web
Preferenceelicitation
Analysisof results
Preferenceelicitation
Information
Feedback Analysis ofthe feedback
Analysis ofthe feedback
Information
Analysisof results
Web
Ind
ep
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us
e A
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Framework for the use of Web
Results
to Web
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
1. Initial screening of stakeholder concerns
Web does not yet provide natural ways to inform about possibilities to participate
Traditional ways of informing the public still needed• Newspapers, radio, TV, …• Mail questionnaires
• Expensive to send and analyze
Once public has been informed, Web can be used for collecting opinions
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
2. Evaluation and modeling of the problem
Decision analysis provides a transparent way to model preferences
Applicable with relatively small number of stakeholders
Steering group of representatives
Different techniques• Decision analysis interviews• Decision conferences/workshops
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Use of Web-HIPRE
Decision analysis interviews• Analyst assures the proper use of the methods• Stakeholder weights and rankings can be
published on the Web
Decision conferences/workshops• Individual preference models under collective
supervision• Group models
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
3. Informing the public
Web site for information delivery
Analysis of Web-HIPRE models of steering group members• Aim to understand objectives of different types
of stakeholder groups• Collectively in local meetings• Published on the Web site
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Use of Web-HIPRE
Independent use of Web-HIPRE to create and evaluate own preference models?• Requires expertise in decision modelling Not easily applicable with general public
Independent analysis of steering group members' models with Web-HIPRE?• Yes – less expertise required
Web-based learning material to help understand the methods and software
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
4. Collecting and analysing public feedback
Web provides a very cheap way to collect public opinions
Everyone does not have access to Web• Possibility to alternative ways to participate, e.g.
by mail, should be provided• Web tools can still be used by entering the
opinions from mail questionnaires
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Opinions-Online v.2.0
Easy-to-use interface
Different ways of setting priorities• Ranking• Approval voting• Multiattribute rating
On-line analysis of the results• Possibility to view results according to any field
on the questionnaire• Differences between stakeholder groups
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Opinions-Online - Creating a new session
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Opinions-Online Vote
Advanced voting rules• Condorcet criteria
• Copeland’s methods, Dodgson’s method, Maximin method
• Borda count• Nanson’s method, University method
• Black’s method• Plurality voting
• Coombs’ method, Hare system, Bishop method
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Discussion
The Web-based framework meets several objectives of public participation• Openness• Fairness• Clarification of facts and values• Opportunity for every person to present an
opinion - not only stakeholder representatives• Provides a possibility for an active role for the
public
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Discussion
Is Web participation too easy?• How to assure that stakeholders examine the
different options thoroughly?• E.g. in the Pirkanmaa Web questionnaire the
use of material provided on recommendations remained low
Learning of the regulation and understanding of the other stakeholders' views may decrease
Committed interest from the public needed
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
How to attract the people?
It is not enough to have tools – technology push does not work !
New innovations take 30 years to be accepted
Where are we now? Can we speed up the process?
Creating the demand for a new tradition / culture in electronic democracy
eLearning support sites will be useful
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Culture grows from positive case studies
Collaboration of DA researchers and policy support administrators
Small steps
Simple Web-based tools first• Web pages for information• Surveys• Steering group use of DA tools• Interactive evaluation of decision models by
stakeholdes
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
ConclusionsTools for participation are available
The Web provides means to enhance public participation
Possibility to use traditional ways• All the people feel to be treated fairly
Commitment to the process needed by administrators and planners
Can the public use DA tools independently?
This will take years
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
Web sites
Systems Analysis Laboratory: www.sal.hut.fi
Finnish Environment Institute: www.vyh.fi
Water Resources in Finland:
www.vyh.fi/eng/environ/state/waterre/waterre.htm
Lake Päijänne project: www.paijanne.hut.fi
Lake Kallavesi project: www.kallavesi.hut.fi
Pirkanmaa lakes project: www.pirkanmaa.hut.fi
Decisionarium: www.decisionarium.hut.fi
S ystemsAnalysis LaboratoryHelsinki University of Technology
References
M. Marttunen and R.P. Hämäläinen (1995): Decision analysis interviews in environmental impact assessment, European Journal of Operational Research, 87(3), 1995, 551-563.
M. Marttunen, E.A. Järvinen, J. Saukkonen and R.P. Hämäläinen (1999): Regulation of Lake Päijänne - a learning process preceding decision-making, Finnish Journal of Water Economy, 6, 29-37. (in Finnish)
J. Mustajoki and R.P.Hämäläinen (2000): Web-HIPRE: Global decision support by value tree and AHP analysis, INFOR, 38(3), 208-220.
R.P. Hämäläinen, E. Kettunen, M. Marttunen and H. Ehtamo (2001): Evaluating a Framework for Multi-Stakeholder Decision Support in Water Resources Management, Group Decision and Negotiation, 10(4), 331-353.
J. Mustajoki, R.P. Hämäläinen and M. Marttunen (2003): Participatory multicriteria decision support with Web-HIPRE: A case of lake regulation policy. Manuscript. Downloadable at www.sal.hut.fi/Publications/pdf-files/mmusb.pdf