Participatory modelling has become an essential approach in tackling environmental challenges, policy-making, and disaster preparedness. By actively involving stakeholders in model development, these methods facilitate social learning, improve the legitimacy of decision-making, and enhance adaptive capacity in rapidly changing contexts. Effective participatory modelling combines cognitive processes, technology, and structured facilitation to ensure collaborative problem-solving across disciplines.
The integration of behavioural insights and cognitive biases into modelling processes further strengthens the effectiveness of participatory approaches. Research has highlighted the importance of addressing barriers to engagement, particularly for marginalised communities, ensuring that participatory model-building remains inclusive and equitable. Additionally, recent advances in digital tools and collaborative technologies have expanded the scale and accessibility of participatory modelling, allowing broader stakeholder involvement and more dynamic interaction with data and scenarios.
As the field continues to evolve, ongoing research provides valuable frameworks for evaluating participatory modelling initiatives, ensuring that they align with theoretical assumptions and practical application. The following resources illustrate participatory and collaborative approaches to modelling as a link between information and knowledge management:
Modelling with stakeholders – Next generation
In this paper, Alexey Voinov et al. (2016) revisit the role of stakeholder participation in environmental modelling, reflecting on developments since 2010. The paper highlights how the rise of social media and web applications has transformed stakeholder interactions and participation.
Tools and methods in participatory modeling: Selecting the right tool for the job
This 2018 paper by Alexey Voinov and colleagues shows a range of various tools and methods are used in participatory modelling, at different stages of the process and for different purposes. The diversity of tools and methods can create challenges for stakeholders and modelers when selecting the ones most appropriate for their projects.
The use of participatory modeling to promote social learning and facilitate community disaster planning
In this 2015 paper by Sarah Henly-Shepard, Steven Gray and Linda Cox present a three-phase social learning framework using stakeholder-driven scenario-based modelling to support community disaster planning. The study demonstrates how modelling can foster shared understanding and adaptive decision-making.
Behavioural issues in environmental modelling: The missing perspective
This 2015 paper by Raimo Hämäläinen demonstrates the importance of behavioural issues in environmental modelling. These issues can relate both to the modeler and to the modelling process including the social interaction in the modelling team. The origins of behavioural effects can be in the cognitive and motivational biases or in the social systems created as well as in the visual and verbal communication strategies used.
Empowering marginalized communities in water resources management: Addressing inequitable practices in Participatory Model Building
This 2015 paper by Cameron Butler and Jan Adamowski points out that while there is significant focus on improving stakeholder engagement, there is a lack of studies specifically looking at the experiences of marginalized communities and the barriers that prevent their fuller participation in the decision-making process. This paper explores the common issues and presents recommended improved practices, based on anti-oppression, related to the stages of problem framing, stakeholder identification and selection, workshop preparation, and workshop facilitation.
How Collaborative Technology Supports Cognitive Processes in Collaborative Process Modeling: A Capabilities-Gains-Outcome Model
This 2013 paper by Jan Recker and colleagues examines which capabilities technologies provide to support collaborative process modeling. It aims to provide an understanding of the process of collaborative process modeling, and detail implications for research and guidelines for the practical design of collaborative process modeling.
Integrated environmental modeling: A vision and roadmap for the future
This 2013 paper by Gerard Laniak and colleagues present “integrated environmental modelling” (IEM) as a landscape containing four interdependent elements: applications, science, technology, and community. These elements are then described from the perspective of their role in the landscape, current practices, and challenges that must be addressed. The authors suggest that improving our current practice will require that the global community of IEM stakeholders transcend social, and organizational boundaries and pursue greater levels of collaboration.
Evaluating Participatory Modelling
This CSIRO working paper by Nathalie Jones and colleagues introduces a framework for evaluating projects that have adopted a participatory modeling approach. The framework assesses the extent to which different participatory modeling practices reinforce or divert from the theoretical assumptions they are built upon. The paper discusses the application of the framework in three case-studies.
If you have a hammer everything looks like a nail: ‘traditional’ versus participatory model building
In this paper Christina Prell and colleagues reflect on the importance of stakeholder collaboration in socio-environmental modelling and the need for greater trust and flexibility in research funding. [Note: This appears to be an early version of the paper]
Companion modeling, conflict resolution, and institution building: sharing irrigation water in the Lingmuteychu Watershed, Bhutan
Companion modeling is a methodology which makes use of multi-agent systems in a participatory way in fields such as sustainable resource management. The objective is to apply simulation tools when dealing with these complex systems in order to understand the institutions and norms that drive the interactions among actors, and consequently between actors and their environment. This Ecology & Society paper by Tayan Raj Gurung, Francois Bousquet and Guy Trebuil shows how this methodology helped resolve a conflict over the sharing of water resources by establishing a concrete agreement and creating an institution for collective watershed management.
Why involving people is important: the forgotten part of environmental information system management
This paper by Will Allen and Margaret Kilvington points out that effective information systems must consider the social contexts in which people generate, share, and apply knowledge, highlighting the role of facilitation and relationship-building.
Benefits of collaborative learning for environmental management: Applying the Integrated Systems for Knowledge Management approach to support animal pest control
In this paper Will Allen and colleagues show the ISKM (Integrated Systems for Knowledge Management) approach to illustrate how learning-based approaches can be used to help communities develop, apply, and refine technical information within a larger context of shared understanding. Particular attention is paid to the issues that emerge as a result of multiple stakeholder involvement within environmental problem situations. Finally, the potential role for the Internet in supporting and disseminating the experience gained through ongoing adaptive management processes is examined.
Participatory Avenues
This site acts as a focal point for sharing lessons learned and innovation in practicing ethically-conscious community mapping and participatory GIS as means to add value and authority to people’s spatial knowledge and improve bottom-up communication. It hosts the Participatory 3D Modelling: Guiding Principles And Applications; Handbook which can be downloaded.
A related area is conceptual modeling . In broad terms, conceptual modelling is the process of developing a graphical representation (or model) from the real world.