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

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

Classification of MCDA methods according to the role of the Decision Maker MCDA no-preference methods a priori preference methods interactive methods a posteriori preference (Pareto frontier) methods

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

Structure of a mental model (result of psychological studies) Visualization can influence all levels of human thinking!

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.

A decision matrix is considered, i.e., table of N decision alternatives given by a finite number of attributes

Example: real estate on sale For illustrative purposes, let m=2 The criterion points are enveloped

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.

User explores the Pareto frontier and identifies a reasonable goal. Then, neighboring criterion points are selected.

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).

Approximation Before 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)

Decision map that describes properties of decision alternatives

Scheme of the Web application of the RGM/IDM (RGDB application server)

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.

Application of the RGDB server in negotiation support: Participatory 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

DSS was calibrated for the Werra River Basin Weser Rhein Ems Elbe Werra 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.

The Web RGDB application server

Architecture of the Web-based DSS

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. y k =F(x)=P{v<v k }, k=1,..,m, where the values v k are given by the DM. Then, the IDM/RGM technique is used.

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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