This online course introduces participants to techniques for selecting and processing data to generate meaningful and timely information to support the better management of resources. To improve decision making, the required information, tools, techniques, models and decision-making procedures can be integrated into a user-friendly information processing system called a spatial decision support system (SDSS). In contrast to other geo-information systems, an SDSS provides insight into assessments of tradeoffs between the various options open to decision-makers. The contents of the course are structured into the following six lessons:
Why do we need to support decision-makers?
Basic views on the decision-making process
What is the role of spatial decision support systems in the decision-making process?
Basic principles of multicriteria analysis
Spatial multicriteria analysis
Application of the theory of the decision-making process, multicriteria analysis and spatial multicriteria analysis to case studies. Cases from different disciplines can be chosen.
The lessons are related to the main course objectives as follows:
Lessons 1-3: Understanding the role of spatial decision support systems in the decision-making process
Lessons 4-6: Justifying and performing spatial multicriteria evaluation in solving spatial decision problems
We find it important to work with exercises and case studies because our teaching philosophy follows a Chinese proverb that emphasizes the step from listening and reading to independent practice.
On completion of this course, participants should be able to:
explain the principles of decision-making processes and decision support systems
distinguish between various phases of the decision-making process and their required types of information
discuss the linkages between GIS and decision support systems
apply spatial multicriteria decision analysis techniques to combine various layers of information; of different quality, format and type to support the planning and decision-making process
classify and compare different multicriteria evaluation techniques
use spatial multicriteria evaluation techniques in proposing an appropriate solution to a spatial problem
assess and interpret the results of the multicriteria evaluation process.
