Spatial decision support systems: Exploring differences in pilot-testing with students vs. professionals

This study explores the implications of engaging students, versus professionals/experts, in pilot-testing of SDSS, and discusses likely differences in terms of expected outcomes for the given pilot-test. To this end we use data collected during two pilot tests of a novel SDSS that was developed by m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inComputers, environment and urban systems Vol. 72; pp. 204 - 211
Main Authors Rodela, Romina, Pérez-Soba, Marta, Bregt, Arnold, Verweij, Peter
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2018
Elsevier Science Ltd
Subjects
convenience samples
Convenience sampling
Data collection
Decision making
DSS
Environmental issues
Feedback
Pilot-testing
Sampling
SDSS
Spatial decision support systems
Students
Students as research subjects
Support systems
Urban areas
Decision-making
Spatial decision support systems
Convenience sampling
Students as research subjects
Pilot-testing
Environmental issues
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Summary:This study explores the implications of engaging students, versus professionals/experts, in pilot-testing of SDSS, and discusses likely differences in terms of expected outcomes for the given pilot-test. To this end we use data collected during two pilot tests of a novel SDSS that was developed by members of our project team. The pilot-tests were done with two different groups; one made of 13 doctoral students, while the other of 12 professionals/stakeholders. The pilot-test served to gather feedback on SDSS usability and other aspects of interest to the development team. On the basis of the outcomes obtained we develop an analytical framework meant to summarise what we come to notice as key aspects distinguishing how different types of testers will engage in an SDSS pilot-test, and the type of feedback these will consequently provide. These key aspects include expertise, stage of life, and institutional context (ESI). This framework could offer some help to other teams in planning, organizing, and delivering pilot-test, and processing the assessments received. •SDSS should meet the needs of prospective users.•We focus on pilot testing, a key step for any SDSS.•We consider implications from pilot testing SDSS with students vs stakeholders.•Differences in expertise, stage of life, and (institutional) context found to influence the pilot and feedback testers provided
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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content type line 14
ISSN:0198-9715
1873-7587
1873-7587
DOI:10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2018.06.011