Getting the picture: using data visualization to make complex models more accessible to policy-makers

This fact sheet describes the Robust Decision Support (RDS) approach developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), which integrates water systems modelling, participatory techniques, and interactive data visualization to make complex climate and water management data accessible to policy-makers and stakeholders.

• The Robust Decision Support (RDS) approach is designed to identify water management strategies that remain effective across a wide range of future scenarios. It employs a cyclical process that alternates between technical scientific analysis and stakeholder engagement, involving scientists, resource managers, policy-makers, and citizens to define the scope, uncertainties, and performance metrics of the analysis.
• To manage the vast amounts of data generated by the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system, SEI uses Tableau software to create interactive visualizations. These tools allow non-scientists to analyze hundreds or thousands of model runs, using color-coding (red for vulnerability above 50% and green for below 50%) to identify robust strategies and evaluate trade-offs between different sector objectives.
• In a practical application in the Peruvian Chira-Piura watershed, the RDS tool enabled stakeholders to test 11 different strategies against 13 system performance metrics. For example, the analysis demonstrated that while constructing a new dam would significantly reduce vulnerability for hydropower generation, it could negatively impact other sectors or objectives, requiring policy-makers to weigh these trade-offs.

APA

Forni, L., & Galaitsi, S. (2015). Getting the picture: using data visualization to make complex models more accessible to policy-makers. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-FS-2015-Data-visualization-complex-models.pdf

Chicago

Forni, Laura, and Stephanie Galaitsi. Getting the picture: using data visualization to make complex models more accessible to policy-makers. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2015. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-FS-2015-Data-visualization-complex-models.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Forni |first1=Laura |last2=Galaitsi |first2=Stephanie |title=Getting the picture: using data visualization to make complex models more accessible to policy-makers |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2015 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-FS-2015-Data-visualization-complex-models.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{forni2015getting, author = {Forni, Laura and Galaitsi, Stephanie}, title = {{Getting the picture: using data visualization to make complex models more accessible to policy-makers}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2015}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-FS-2015-Data-visualization-complex-models.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }