Increasing discrimination in multi-criteria analysis

Multi criteria methods for supporting decision-making procedures are widely used in sustainability assessment. One of the most important steps in decision-making procedures is the evaluation of policy options or alternatives in order to find a hierarchy of option choices. Utility function value distributions are often constructed for the range of indicators for the options to be assessed. This distribution can be presented as an impact matrix stacked with indicator weights to reflect the relative importance of different indicators for the decision-maker. Solving rules are then introduced to integrate all individual indicator evaluations into a single integral utility estimation. These are often based on the averaging procedures, one of the simplest being arithmetic averaging. Whilst averaging rules are very attractive to decision makers due to their simplicity and logical transparency, using averaging as the first step of the decision-making procedures can significantly reduce the discrimination of the options, especially if there are counteractive individual indicator estimations.This paper proposes a method to evaluate and overcome this loss of discrimination. The paper explains the basis of a discriminatory analysis approach to sustainability assessment demonstrates its application through the use of illustrative data and describes its application to an existing case study where researchers had applied a number of multi criteria analysis tools. It was concluded that the discriminatory analysis provided a useful addition to the decision-makers toolbox as it provided a means of assessment of the validity of the application of the simple arithmetic averaging technique

An evaluation of water treatment technologies for sustainable rural communities

This paper presents the initial stages of research funded by the Scottish Government to enable an evaluation of the suitability of drinking water treatment technologies at small to medium scales to facilitate the application of the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Rural Communities concept. The research included a technology scan to identify relevant drinking water treatment technologies suitable for small and medium sized rural communities in Scotland and an expert stakeholder workshop to verify and refine the technology inventory. The stakeholder workshop was also used to identify suitable selection criteria for Sustainable Rural Community drinking water projects. The criteria can be used in subsequent multi-stakeholder decision making for the most sustainable treatment options for specific communities. An explanation is provided on the methodology and the types of information that were collected and the outcomes of the research. <br/

Modelling and visualizing sustainability assessment in urban environments

Major urban development projects extend over prolonged timescales (up to 25 years in the case of major regeneration projects), involve a large number of stakeholders, and necessitate complex decision making. Comprehensive assessment of critical information will involve a number of domains, such as social, economic and environmental, and input from a wide a range of stakeholders. This makes rigorous and holistic decision making, with respect to sustainability, exceptionally difficult without access to appropriate decision support tools. Assessing and communicating the key aspects of sustainability and often conflicting information remains a major hurdle to be overcome if sustainable development is to be achieved. We investigate the use of an integrated simulation and visualization engine and will test if it is effective in: 1) presenting a physical representation of the urban environment, 2) modelling sustainability of the urban development using a subset of indicators, here the modelling and the visualization need to be integrated seamlessly in order to achieve real time updates of the sustainability models in the 3D urban representation, 3) conveying the sustainability information to a range of stakeholders making the assessment of sustainability more accessible. In this paper we explore the first two objectives. The prototype interactive simulation and visualization platform (S-City VT) integrates and communicates complex multivariate information to diverse stakeholder groups. This platform uses the latest 3D graphical rendering techniques to generate a realistic urban development and novel visualization techniques to present sustainability data that emerge from the underlying computational model. The underlying computational model consists of two parts: traditional multicriteria evaluation methods and indicator models that represent the temporal changes of indicators. These models are informed from collected data and/or existing literature. The platform is interactive and allows real time movements of buildings and/or material properties and the sustainability assessment is updated immediately. This allows relative comparisons of contrasting planning and urban layouts. Preliminary usability results show that the tool provides a realistic representation of a real development and is effective at conveying the sustainability assessment information to a range of stakeholders. S-City VT is a novel tool for calculating and communicating sustainability assessment. It therefore begins to open up the decision making process to more stakeholders, reducing the reliance on expert decision makers

Enhancing urban sustainability through novel visualisation

Sustainable decision making in Urban Design is a complex and non-linear process that requires the interaction of a wide variety of stakeholders. The engagement of a range of stakeholders throughout the decision making process presents challenges including the need to communicate the complex and interdependent facets of sustainability and the need to demonstrate the short and long term implications of alternative courses of action.This paper presents the results of an initial application of a prototype simulation and visualisation tool (S-City VT) that was developed to enable all stakeholders, regardless of background or experience, to understand, interact with and influence decisions made on the sustainability of urban design. S-City VT takes the unique approach of combining computer game technology with computer modelling to present stakeholders with an interactive virtual development. The paper uses the Dundee Central Waterfront Development Project as a case study to evaluate the potential for the application of the tool and explains how parallel research work on the implementation of a sustainability enhancement framework for the Central Waterfront Development has informed the choice of sustainability indictors and identified the key stakeholders in the decision making processes.The paper shows how stakeholders can be presented with the outputs from the model using a 3D visualisation of the development and thus enables judgements to be made on the relative sustainability of aspects of the development. The visualisation tool employs a number of different methods of displaying the sustainability results to the stakeholders. These methods can show data in varying levels of complexity, depending on the expertise of the stakeholder, empowering all stakeholders by illustrating possible interactions between indicator values and sustainability and by showing how different stakeholder perceptions of the importance of the indicators can influence the sustainability assessment.Initial tests on the effectiveness of the different visualisation methods in displaying the model output to communicate the sustainability of the Development are described. The results of the tests and presented and discussed and conclusions are drawn on the further development and application of the tool to model and visualise through time the possible results of decisions made at different stages of the project

Immersive and non immersive 3D virtual city: decision support tool for urban sustainability

Sustainable urban planning decisions must not only consider the physical structure of the urban development but the economic, social and environmental factors. Due to the prolonged times scales of major urban development projects the current and future impacts of any decision made must be fully understood. Many key project decisions are made early in the decision making process with decision makers later seeking agreement for proposals once the key decisions have already been made, leaving many stakeholders, especially the general public, feeling marginalised by the process. Many decision support tools have been developed to aid in the decision making process, however many of these are expert orientated, fail to fully address spatial and temporal issues and do not reflect the interconnectivity of the separate domains and their indicators. This paper outlines a platform that combines computer game techniques, modelling of economic, social and environmental indicators to provide an interface that presents a 3D interactive virtual city with sustainability information overlain. Creating a virtual 3D urban area using the latest video game techniques ensures: real-time rendering of the 3D graphics; exploitation of novel techniques of how complex multivariate data is presented to the user; immersion in the 3D urban development, via first person navigation, exploration and manipulation of the environment with consequences updated in real-time. The use of visualisation techniques begins to remove sustainability assessment’s reliance on the existing expert systems which are largely inaccessible to many of the stakeholder groups, especially the general public

Enhancing urban sustainability using 3D visualisation

This paper presents the results of an initial application of a prototype simulation and visualisation tool (S-City VT) thatwas developed to enable all stakeholders, regardless of background or experience, to understand, interact with and influence decisions made on the sustainability of urban design. The tool takes the unique approach of combining three-dimensional (3D) interactive and immersive technologies with computer modelling to present stakeholders with an interactive virtual development. Use of outputs from the model and a 3D visualisation of the development can help decision-makers judge the relative sustainability of different aspects of a development. The tool employs a number of different methods to present sustainability results to stakeholders. Initial tests on the effectiveness of the different visualisation methods are described and discussed. The paper then presents some conclusions on further development and application of the tool to model and visualise possible results of decisions made at different stages of the project

Sustainable urban development in practice:the SAVE concept

The need for sustainable development of the urban environment presents the research community with a number of challenges and opportunities. A considerable volume of research has been undertaken into the constituent parts of this complex problem and a number of tool kits and methodologies have been developed to enable and encourage the application of specific aspects of research in practice. However, there is limited evidence of the holistic integration of the body of knowledge arising from the research within real-life decision-making practices. In this paper we present an overview of the existing body of knowledge relating to sustainable development of the urban environment and propose a generic framework for its integration within current practices. This framework recognises the need to: understand social, economic, and environmental issues; understand the decision-making processes; provide a means of measurement, assessment, or valuation of the issues; provide analytical methods for the comparative assessment of complex data to enable an evaluation of strategies and design options and to communicate effectively throughout the process with a wide range of stakeholders. The components of a novel sustainability assessment, visualisation and enhancement (SAVE) framework, developed by the authors to ‘operationalise’ the body of knowledge are presented and justified. These include: decision-mapping methods to identify points of intervention; indicator identification and measurement approaches; appropriate mathematical and analytical tools and an interactive simulation and visualisation platform which integrates and communicates complex multivariate information to diverse stakeholder groups. We report on the application of the SAVE framework to a major urban development project and reflect on its current and potential impact on the development. Conclusions are also drawn about its general applicability

The implausibility of ‘usual care’ in an open system: sedation and weaning practices in Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) in the United Kingdom (UK)

Background: The power of the randomised controlled trial depends upon its capacity to operate in a closed system whereby the intervention is the only causal force acting upon the experimental group and absent in the control group, permitting a valid assessment of intervention efficacy. Conversely, clinical arenas are open systems where factors relating to context, resources, interpretation and actions of individuals will affect implementation and effectiveness of interventions. Consequently, the comparator (usual care) can be difficult to define and variable in multi-centre trials. Hence outcomes cannot be understood without considering usual care and factors that may affect implementation and impact on the intervention. Methods: Using a fieldwork approach, we describe PICU context, ‘usual’ practice in sedation and weaning from mechanical ventilation, and factors affecting implementation prior to designing a trial involving a sedation and ventilation weaning intervention. We collected data from 23 UK PICUs between June and November 2014 using observation, individual and multi-disciplinary group interviews with staff. Results: Pain and sedation practices were broadly similar in terms of drug usage and assessment tools. Sedation protocols linking assessment to appropriate titration of sedatives and sedation holds were rarely used (9 % and 4 % of PICUs respectively). Ventilator weaning was primarily a medical-led process with 39 % of PICUs engaging senior nurses in the process: weaning protocols were rarely used (9 % of PICUs). Weaning methods were variably based on clinician preference. No formal criteria or use of spontaneous breathing trials were used to test weaning readiness. Seventeen PICUs (74 %) had prior engagement in multi-centre trials, but limited research nurse availability. Barriers to previous trial implementation were intervention complexity, lack of belief in the evidence and inadequate training. Facilitating factors were senior staff buy-in and dedicated research nurse provision. Conclusions: We examined and identified contextual and organisational factors that may impact on the implementation of our intervention. We found usual practice relating to sedation, analgesia and ventilator weaning broadly similar, yet distinctively different from our proposed intervention, providing assurance in our ability to evaluate intervention effects. The data will enable us to develop an implementation plan; considering these factors we can more fully understand their impact on study outcomes