Supporting complex decision making in learning space design: WDA-ANP, a novel sociotechnical systems approach

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel approach, underpinned by systems thinking, to structure requirements and support front-end design decision-making around the performance in-use of developments within highly complex environments, with diverse stakeholders and users, such as the case of learning spaces in higher education (HE). Design/methodology/approach Work domain analysis (WDA), a sociotechnical systems design framework, is first used to model the constraints that shape the expected performance of an informal learning space (ILS). Based on the model, the following stage involved a sector-wide survey questionnaire (n = 175) to appraise the views of different stakeholder groups in relation to ILS. These were analysed using the analytical network process (ANP). Findings This study provides a novel approach, using WDA, to conceptualise the constraints shaping the performance in-use, integrating the perspectives of different stakeholder groups. Furthermore, it provides a structured approach to establish priorities that can serve as the basis to support complex decision-making during early design stages. The findings and proposed WDA–ANP approach aim to support HE estate managers on better understanding and integrating perspectives in relation to campus developments. Originality/value In this paper, a novel systems-based approach is proposed as an alternative to conceptualise ILS. Furthermore, the approach is combined with ANP, a multi-criteria decision-making approach, to develop a novel tool to derive priorities and support front-end design decision-making in learning space design.

A life cycle decision framework of China offshore wind turbines with ANP-Intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS method

“…Therefore, TOPSIS is used as the main method of alternative ranking in this study. Additionally, the intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs) exhibit better performance in displaying the uncertainty of decision information [34] . To this end, in order to make full use of the information from the experts, indicators and design schemes, this paper adopts IFNs to overcome the problem of fuzzy information.…”