An interdisciplinary framework for participatory modeling design and evaluation—What makes models effective participatory decision tools?

Increased requirements for public involvement in water resources management (WRM) over the past century have stimulated the development of more collaborative decision‐making methods. Participatory modeling (PM) uses computer models to inform and engage stakeholders in the planning process in order to influence collaborative decisions in WRM. Past evaluations of participatory models focused on process and final outcomes, yet, were hindered by diversity of purpose and inconsistent documentation. This paper presents a two‐stage framework for evaluating PM based on mechanisms for improving model effectiveness as participatory tools. The five dimensions characterize the “who, when, how, and why” of each participatory effort (stage 1). Models are evaluated as “boundary objects,” a concept used to describe tools that bridge understanding and translate different bodies of knowledge to improve credibility, salience, and legitimacy (stage 2). This evaluation framework is applied to five existing case studies from the literature. Though the goals of participation can be diverse, the novel contribution of the two‐stage proposed framework is the flexibility it has to evaluate a wide range of cases that differ in scope, modeling approach, and participatory context. Also, the evaluation criteria provide a structured vocabulary based on clear mechanisms that extend beyond previous process‐based and outcome‐based evaluations. Effective models are those that take advantage of mechanisms that facilitate dialogue and resolution and improve the accessibility and applicability of technical knowledge. Furthermore, the framework can help build more complete records and systematic documentation of evidence to help standardize the field of PM. Key Points Paper presents a two‐stage framework that captures the interdisciplinary nature of participatory models The two‐stage framework is applied to five case studies to evaluate mechanisms that improve model effectiveness as participatory tools Effective models are those which improve mechanisms for increasing credibility, salience, and legitimacy of technical knowledge