Evaluating the effectiveness of observer based visual resource and impact assessment methods

Methodological Issues in the Assessment of Landscape Quality

“…The landscape-quality dimension has been variously labeled as "scenic quality" (Daniel, Wheeler, Boster, & Best, 1973;Zube, 1974), "visual attractiveness" (Brush, 1979), "visual quality" (USDA, 1974), "aesthetic quality" (Feimer et al, 1981), and "landscape preference" . Daniel and Boster (1976) considered these alternatives and conduded that "scenic beauty" best labeled the landscape-quality dimension that motivates environmental policy and public-Iand management.…”

Visual Impact Assessment: Where Have We Come from and Where Are We Going?

“…One of the major findings from this study is that multiple raters (professional or trained) are needed to ensure reliability in use of such systems as well as detailed guidance for use of such systems to increase both reliability and validity [17] & [18]. There have been few studies since [19]- [21] which have looked at validity and reliability issues of doing VIA work.…”

Visual Impact Assessment of Human Interventions on the Landscape: The case of Wind Farms and Solar Power Plants

“…Expert based models have been criticised for untestable assumptions and subjectivity disguised by objectivity [38,175]. In fact, as Ribe [190] argues, quantitative methods are not a substitute and only means for measuring aesthetic quality, but rather supplementary instruments for more effectively exploring and substantiating relations among aesthetic qualities.…”

“…However, these approaches are not exempt from limitations. Feimer et al [175] indicate that the quality and utility of any model used in landscape research will depend on its reliability, validity and generalisability. The following section (Part IV) looks at each research approach in turn, drawing on its advantages and disadvantages with respect to these three points, and the results are summarised in Tables 2.2. 2.3 and 2.4.…”

“…The following section (Part IV) looks at each research approach in turn, drawing on its advantages and disadvantages with respect to these three points, and the results are summarised in Tables 2.2. 2.3 and 2.4. The definitions for reliability, validity and generalisability are taken from Feimer et al [175]:…”