Design considerations for an internet portal to support public participation in transportation improvement decision making

Recent research about "analytic-deliberative" decision processes shows that meaningful public participation is possible, and decision outcomes are improved. The analytic component provides technical information that ensures broad-based, competent perspectives are treated. The deliberative component provides an opportunity to interactively give voice to a diversity of values, alternatives, and recommendations. Unfortunately, such public participation has been expensive and time consuming, and thus involved small groups. An Internet system that combines geographic information system technology, decision modeling technology, and communications technology into a geospatial portal to support analytic-deliberative processes might be one way to facilitate meaningful participation in large groups as a way for agencies to more effectively engage a public who wishes to participate. The core research question underpinning our work on system design is: What system design considerations for various analytic-deliberative capabilities will foster support of structured and flexible, analytic-deliberative, transportation improvement decision processes?