(HOW) DO PLANNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS IMPROVE PLANNING?

A controlled experiment

Urban environments – climate - mobility

NWO: CESAR PROGRAMMARCO TE BRÖMMELSTROET UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAMPETER PELZER UTRECHT UNIVERSITYRALPH KLERKX TNOSANDER SCHAMINÉE TNO

Research rationale

PSS field is maturing ‘Knowledge technologies’ Many claims &

hypotheses Not much focus on

testing Overview of PSS books:

414 reported claims 59 reported tests

Research rationale Implementation gap Especially in strategic planning Constructive learning requires:

Consolidated aims Consolidated theory Consolidated methods

(Nijstad 2009 in: Te Brömmelstroet 2013)

Conceptual model

PSS: Urban Strategy Urban Strategy: developed by TNO since 2006 Started as an environmental modeling tool Main features:

Calculate and display effects interactively Centralized data storage Scenarios Communication between models

PSS: Urban Strategy

3D Database3D Database

IMB Communication Framework (Publish/Subscribe)

Traffic Noise Air Safety Energy Cost 1DViewer

2D (GIS)Viewer

3DViewer

ExternalData Link

ExternalModels

OfflineModels

SensorLink

MobileClient

Connect

PDA, SmartphonePDA, SmartphoneWMS, WFS,NetCDF

Tablet, Surface TableTablet, Surface Table

OPS LotosEUROS

PSS: Urban Strategy

Perform measuresin GIS environment

Experiment

Video of experiment

(5 min)

CLASSIC USABILITY INDICATORS

RESULTS ON PLANNING PROCESS QUALITY

RESULTS ON PLANNING OUTCOME QUALITY

Methodological reflection

Both observation and indicators show a positive effect on planning (process). But: Low ecological validity

combine with real world observations High measurement validity

‘Quality of planning’ concept under development External validity

Is Urban Strategy a typical PSS (for strategy making)

Methodological reflection

Both observation and indicators show a positive effect on planning (process). But: Role playing is problematic

Students from different backgrounds Holding treatment constant is problematic

More focus on fundamental mechanisms

Final lesson: Potential improvements on organizing the exchange of knowledge between participants and PSS

Thank you for your kind attention

E-mail: brommelstroet@uva.nl

Recent publications:Te Brömmelstroet, M. (2012). "Transparency, flexibility, simplicity: From buzzwords towards strategies for real PSS improvement." Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 36(1), 96-104

Te Brömmelstroet M. (2013). “Performance of Planning Support Systems: What is it, and how do we report on it?”. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, in press