Visualization-based Reasonable Goals Method and its Web Application for Supporting e-Participation in Environmental Decision Making

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Visualization-based Reasonable Goals Method and
its Web Application for Supporting
e-Participation in Environmental Decision Making

• Alexander V. Lotov
• Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia
• and
• Dorodnicyn Computing Center of Russian Academy of
  Sciences, Russia

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Plan of the talk
1. Pareto frontier methods 2. Reasonable Goals
Method for databases 3. Interactive Decision Maps
(IDM) technique and visualization of Pareto
frontier 4. Environmental applications of RGM/IDM
5. On two main tasks of e-participation a)
informing lay stakeholders and b)
negotiation support 6. RGM/IDM in Web 7. RGM/IDM
in Participatory Decision Support for River
Basin Planning (Werra River, Germany) 8. Few
words on using RGM/IDM in Web for informing
lay stakeholders on decision problems related to
risks
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Classification of MCDA methods according to
the role of the Decision Maker
 
MCDA
                 
no-preference methods
a posteriori preference (Pareto
frontier) methods
a priori preference methods
interactive methods
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Pareto frontier methods

• Pareto frontier methods are devoted to
  approximation of the Pareto set and informing DM
  concerning it.
• In contrast to preference-oriented methods,
  Pareto frontier methods inform the users and help
  them in forming their preferences.
• The main problem of Pareto frontier methods
• How to inform the users about the Pareto
  frontier?
• Two basic ways exist
• By providing a list of the criterion points that
  belong to the Pareto frontier
• By visualization of the Pareto frontier

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Structure of a mental model (result of
psychological studies)
Visualization can influence all levels of human
thinking!
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Application of the Pareto frontier visualization
in finite multi-attribute choice problems The
Reasonable Goals Method

• We use visualization aimed at selecting a small
  number of interesting alternatives from a
  list.It can be considered as a special form of
  data mining.

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A decision matrix is considered, i.e., table of
N decision alternatives given by a finite number
of attributes
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Example real estate on sale For illustrative
purposes, let m2The criterion points are
enveloped
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We approximate the Edgeworth-Pareto hull of
Such a set is called the Convex Edgeworth-Pareto
hull (CEPH). It includes all criterion points
dominated by the Pareto frontier.
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User explores the Pareto frontier and
identifies a reasonable goal. Then,neighboring
criterion points are selected.
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General case (m from 3 to 8)

• Visualization of the Pareto frontier is based on
  approximation of the CEPH and application of the
• Interactive Decision Maps (IDM) technique, which
  consists in visualization of collections of
• bi-criterion slices of the CEPH (decision maps).

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ApproximationBefore the start of interactive
visualization, approximation of the CEPH is
carried out. The main problem that was
solved by us optimal algorithms for polyhedral
approximation of convex multi-objective bodies
were developed.
Several applications of the IDM/RGM technique
Decision screening in local water quality
planning (Kolomna city region at the Oka River)
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Decision map that describes properties of 400
000 decision alternatives
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Scheme of the Web application of the RGM/IDM
(RGDB application server)
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RGDB server can be used for

• a) informing lay stakeholders on environmental
  decision problems (especially on possible
  strategies for solving the problems) and
• b) supporting negotiations.
• RGDB server can help lay stakeholders better
  understand the feasibility frontiers and express
  preferences by selecting one or several
  strategies that best fit their concerns. Then,
  lay stakeholders can base their problem-related
  legal and political actions (including
  e-participation) on such knowledge.
• It is important that it can be done independently
  of mass media that can thrust the strategies
  selected by experts on lay stakeholders.

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Application of the RGDB server in negotiation
supportParticipatory Decision Support for
Integrated River Basin Planning(Funding German
Federal Ministry of Education and Research)
The RGDB was used in DSS developed by Jörg
Dietrich and Andreas H. Schumann, Ruhr
University Bochum, Institute for Hydrology,
Water Management and Environmental Engineering
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DSS was calibrated for the Werra River Basin
For the Participatory Decision Support System, a
special form of the Web RGDB was developed. It
can support negotiations. It applies selecting
several goals and related small groups of
alternatives.
Ems
Elbe
Weser
Werra
Rhein
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The Web RGDB application server
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Architecture of the Web-based DSS
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Applications of the IDM/RGM technique in
stochastic decision problems for informing lay
stakeholders on risks
Criteria are specified on the basis of the
cumulative distribution function F(x), i.e.
ykF(x)Pvltvk, k1,..,m, where the values vk
are given by the DM. Then, the IDM/RGM technique
is used.
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Detailed information on the approach is given
in the book Lotov A.V., Bushenkov V.A., and
Kamenev G.K. Interactive Decision Maps.
Approximation and Visualization of Pareto
Frontier. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004.
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Our Web address

• http//www.ccas.ru/mmes/mmeda/
• http//www.ccas.ru/mmes/mmeda/books/
• http//www.ccas.ru/mmes/mmeda/soft/
• http//www.ccas.ru/mmes/mmeda/papers/
• http//www.ccas.ru/mmes/mmeda/resource/
• http//www.ccas.ru/mmes/mmeda/rgdb/index.htm