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Acceptable Input: Using Decision Analysis to Guide Public Policy Deliberations

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  • Robin Gregory

    (Decision Research, 1160 Devina Drive, RR2 Site 52 Comp 4, Galiano, British Columbia, Canada V0N 1P0)

  • Baruch Fischhoff

    (Social and Decision Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213)

  • Tim McDaniels

    (School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia, 6333 Memorial Road, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z2)

Abstract

Multiparty deliberative processes have become a popular way to increase public participation in public policy choices. Their legitimacy depends on participants' ability, first, to understand the issues facing them and, then, to form and express their own positions on them. These tasks pose significant cognitive and emotional challenges. This paper argues that decision analysis, informed by behavioral decision research, offers procedures and standards for creating responsible deliberative processes. These involve (a) formal analysis of decisions, identifying the kernel of most relevant information, (b) communication procedures, recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of lay understanding, and (c) interactive elicitation methods, helping individuals to articulate the implications of their values for specific settings. A construct validity criterion assesses the extent to which the resulting valuations are properly sensitive to decision features. Feasible extensions of traditional decision analysis create opportunities to formalize the aspirations of participants and ensure that the intellectual content of deliberative processes is worthy of the political hopes vested in them.

Suggested Citation

  • Robin Gregory & Baruch Fischhoff & Tim McDaniels, 2005. "Acceptable Input: Using Decision Analysis to Guide Public Policy Deliberations," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 4-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ordeca:v:2:y:2005:i:1:p:4-16
    DOI: 10.1287/deca.1050.0035
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    References listed on IDEAS

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      • L. Robin Keller & Manel Baucells & Kevin F. McCardle & Gregory S. Parnell & Ahti Salo, 2007. "From the Editors..," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 4(4), pages 173-175, December.
      • L. Robin Keller & Manel Baucells & John C. Butler & Philippe Delquié & Jason R. W. Merrick & Gregory S. Parnell & Ahti Salo, 2008. "From the Editors..," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 5(4), pages 173-176, December.
      • L. Robin Keller & Manel Baucells & John C. Butler & Philippe Delquié & Jason R. W. Merrick & Gregory S. Parnell & Ahti Salo, 2009. "From the Editors ..," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 6(4), pages 199-201, December.
    3. Lo, Alex Y. & Spash, Clive L., 2011. "Articulation of Plural Values in Deliberative Monetary Valuation: Beyond Preference Economisation and Moralisation," MPRA Paper 30002, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Irene Pluchinotta & Akin O. Kazakçi & Raffaele Giordano & Alexis Tsoukiàs, 2019. "Design Theory for Generating Alternatives in Public Decision Making Processes," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 341-375, April.
    5. L. Robin Keller & Kelly M. Kophazi, 2012. "From the Editors ---Copulas, Group Preferences, Multilevel Defenders, Sharing Rewards, and Communicating Analytics," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 9(3), pages 213-218, September.
    6. Kelly F. Robinson & Erin Baker & Elizabeth Ewing & Victoria Hemming & Melissa A. Kenney & Michael C. Runge, 2023. "Decision Analysis to Advance Environmental Sustainability," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 20(4), pages 243-251, December.
    7. Simon French, 2012. "Expert Judgment, Meta-analysis, and Participatory Risk Analysis," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 9(2), pages 119-127, June.
    8. L. Robin Keller, 2009. "From the Editor..," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 6(3), pages 121-123, September.
    9. Jason R. W. Merrick & Fabrizio Ruggeri & Refik Soyer & L. Robin Keller, 2012. "From the Editors---Games and Decisions in Reliability and Risk," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 9(2), pages 81-85, June.
    10. Cho, Yonghee & Yoon, Seong-Pil & Kim, Karp-Soo, 2016. "An industrial technology roadmap for supporting public R&D planning," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 1-12.
    11. Jordi Honey-Rosés & Mitzy Canessa & Sarah Daitch & Bruno Gomes & Javier Muñoz-Blanco García & André Xavier & Oscar Zapata, 2020. "Comparing Structured and Unstructured Facilitation Approaches in Consultation Workshops: A Field Experiment," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 949-967, October.
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    13. K. Jenni & D. Graves & J. Hardiman & J. Hatten & M. Mastin & M. Mesa & J. Montag & T. Nieman & F. Voss & A. Maule, 2014. "Identifying stakeholder-relevant climate change impacts: A case study in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, USA," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 124(1), pages 371-384, May.
    14. Klara Pigmans & Huib Aldewereld & Virginia Dignum & Neelke Doorn, 2019. "The Role of Value Deliberation to Improve Stakeholder Participation in Issues of Water Governance," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 33(12), pages 4067-4085, September.
    15. Simon French & Nikolaos Argyris, 2018. "Decision Analysis and Political Processes," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 15(4), pages 208-222, December.
    16. Don N. Kleinmuntz & George Wu, 2006. "From the Special Issue Editors... Special Issue on Psychology and Decision Analysis," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 3(3), pages 121-123, September.
    17. Rakesh K. Sarin & L. Robin Keller, 2013. "From the Editors: Probability Approximations, Anti-Terrorism Strategy, and Bull's-Eye Display for Performance Feedback," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 10(1), pages 1-5, March.
    18. Richard M. Anderson & Robert Clemen, 2013. "Toward an Improved Methodology to Construct and Reconcile Decision Analytic Preference Judgments," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 10(2), pages 121-134, June.
    19. Alex Y Lo, 2011. "Analysis and Democracy: The Antecedents of the Deliberative Approach of Ecosystems Valuation," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 29(6), pages 958-974, December.
    20. L. Robin Keller & Kelly M. Kophazi, 2008. "From the Editors..," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 5(2), pages 57-59, June.
    21. Simon French & David Rios Insua & Fabrizio Ruggeri, 2007. "e -Participation and Decision Analysis," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 4(4), pages 211-226, December.
    22. Ben Ewing & Erin Baker, 2009. "Development of a Green Building Decision Support Tool: A Collaborative Process," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 6(3), pages 172-185, September.
    23. Gregory, Robin & Failing, Lee & Higgins, Paul, 2006. "Adaptive management and environmental decision making: A case study application to water use planning," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 434-447, June.
    24. Argyris, Nikolaos & French, Simon, 2017. "Nuclear emergency decision support: A behavioural OR perspective," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 262(1), pages 180-193.
    25. Rakesh K. Sarin & L. Robin Keller, 2013. "From the Editors ---Group Decisions, Preference Elicitation, Experienced Utility, Survival Probabilities, and Portfolio Value of Information," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 10(2), pages 99-102, June.

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