Decision Analysis (DA)
The aim of this group is to achieve a better understanding of difficult decision situations and to support real-world decision making processes. The group applies engineering and natural science knowledge to contribute to problem solving of relevant societal issues. The thematic focus lies on urban water management and the preservation of natural water resources.
‘Difficult decision situations’ are complex because the decision makers hope to achieve several – possibly conflicting – objectives. As example, one objective could be ‘low costs’ while another objective is ‘to implement the best technical measure’, which might also be the most expensive one. Additionally, in real decision situations often multiple stakeholders with differing interests are involved. Uncertainty, for instance about the longer-term consequences of decisions, further increases complexity.
Decision analysis supports systematic thinking to structure the decision problem and to better understand the preferences, beliefs, and values of those involved. It improves the process of decision making and helps making an optimal decision that is well accepted by the stakeholders. To this end, following research topics are pursued in the group:
- Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)
- Environmental psychology with a special focus on group decisions
- Stakeholder analysis and participation
- Inter- and transdisciplinary research
The group closely interacts with scientists from other disciplines at Eawag (engineers, chemists, ecotoxicologists, ecologists, and psychologists) and with various stakeholders in the applied projects.
Contact persons: Judit Lienert, Lisa Scholten, Jun Zheng, Anja Zorn
Projects
- Valuing adaptation to climate change risks in the water sector (Fabienne Chawla, Marcella Veronesi, Max Maurer, Judit Lienert); go to project description
- How to handle hospital wastewater – a stakeholder perspective (Judit Lienert, Christa McArdell, Beate I. Escher, Nele Schuwirth); go to project description
- A decision theoretic approach to river assessment (Judit Lienert, Simone Langhans, Peter Reichert); go to project description
- On-site nitrogen recovery from urine through industrial loops – mass flows and stakeholder involvement (Tove A. Larsen, Judit Lienert)
Project funding by swiss academies award for transdisciplinary research 2008 for the project Novaquatis (www.novaquatis.ch/index_EN); award given by td-net and Stiftung Mercator Schweiz; go to project description - Sustainable Water Infrastructure Planning (SWIP) (Christoph Egger, Lisa Scholten, Judit Lienert, Max Maurer, Eberhard Morgenroth, Peter Reichert); go to project description