Evaluating Participatory Modeling Methods for Co‐creating Pathways to Sustainability

Abstract

The achievement of global sustainability agendas, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, relies on transformational change across society, economy, and environment that are co‐created in a transdisciplinary exercise by all stakeholders. Within this context, environmental and societal change is increasingly understood and represented via participatory modeling for genuine engagement with multiple collaborators in the modeling process. Despite the diversity of participatory modeling methods to promote engagement and co‐creation, it remains uncertain what the extent and modes of participation are in different contexts, and how to select the suitable methods to use in a given situation. Based on a review of available methods and specification of potential contextual requirements, we propose a unifying framework to guide how collaborators of different backgrounds can work together and evaluate the suitability of participatory modeling methods for co‐creating sustainability pathways. The evaluation of method suitability promises the integration of concepts and approaches necessary to address the complexities of problems at hand while ensuring robust methodologies based on well‐tested evidence and negotiated among participants. Using two illustrative case studies, we demonstrate how to explore and evaluate the choice of methods for participatory modeling in varying contexts. The insights gained can inform creative participatory approaches to pathway development through tailored combinations of methods that best serve the specific sustainability context of particular case studies.

Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Spatial Green Stormwater Infrastructure Research

“…Participatory modeling is one approach to transdisciplinary collaboration that has been applied to the adaptive management of socio-ecological systems. Unlike the qualitative approaches mentioned earlier in the paper, participatory modeling spans a range of quantitative and qualitative methods at varying levels of formalization [93]. The purpose of all the methods is to intentionally provide opportunities to integrate the knowledge, values, and perspectives of experts and stakeholders.…”

“…Although there are numerous applications of the participatory modeling approaches to transdisciplinary research in water resources [96][97][98], our literature review did not reveal any examples of these approaches applied to facilitate cross-disciplinary research about spatial GSI implementation. While many participatory modeling techniques have focused on the involvement of non-expert stakeholders, tools commonly used in participatory modeling processes, such as fuzzy cognitive mapping, causal loop diagramming, and participatory GIS, may also help academic researchers find opportunities for deeper integration of knowledge [93,99]. Such techniques have been used in the past in advancing transdisciplinary research in other systems that may include meeting multiple potentially competing objectives that require cross-disciplinary collaboration, such as energy systems transitions planning and planning the provision of ecosystem services [100,101].…”

Saving the ground beneath our feet: Establishing priorities and criteria for governing soil use and protection

“…Gonzalez Lago et al refer to a global soils policy vacuum and call for an urgent transdisciplinary framework approach to 're-politicize' soil [261], while a number of authors and institutions highlight the degree to which soil protection is inescapably enmeshed with ethics [262]. Participatory modelling and conceptual frameworks have been applied to complex cross-cutting problems such as addressing the SDGs, and these approaches continue to evolve [263]. The latest stages in the process of soil governance so far, in the last decade, are encouraging to some extent, at least with regard to what soil scientists are bringing to the table.…”

“…Participatory modelling and conceptual frameworks have been applied to complex cross-cutting problems such as addressing the SDGs, and these approaches continue to evolve [ 263 ]. The latest stages in the process of soil governance so far, in the last decade, are encouraging to some extent, at least with regard to what soil scientists are bringing to the table.…”

The Symbiotic Mutualism between Co-Creation and Entrepreneurship

“…Co-creation experience is defined as a set of psycho-cognitive feelings regarding empirical benefits of involvement in co-creation [44]. Additionally, the process of co-creation fosters creative thinking, since taking advantage of various experiences of stakeholders requires formulating the best possible solutions to an existing problem [45]. Thus, creativity is yet another common platform for future research on the relationship between entrepreneurship and co-creation.…”