The modeling policy-maker. On decision support systems in water management

Abstract

Computer models play an important role in modern water management as decision supporting tools to assess effects of possible measures in water systems. An important aspect in building these models is the selection of elements of the real world that should be incorporated in the model. For decision support tools, this selection depends on the policy measures and the effects to be evaluated. As some of these selections are strategic decisions, the policy-maker should be involved in the modeling process. In practice this is often not the case. Decisions, including the strategic ones, are usually all made by the modeling expert. This often leads to the situation that promising measures are not evaluated and sub optimal decisions are taken. This article focuses on the role which the policy-maker and the modeling expert should play in the modeling process. We formulate recommendations with respect to their communication by analysing the gap between this ideal situation and the day to day reality.