VisionEval
A benefit of using strategic planning models is that they enable a large number of scenarios to be evaluated. This provides planners with more information about the potential consequences of future trends and the policies that might be put in place to influence those trends and their effects. This benefit also poses a challenge in regards to how to make sense of the large amounts of output data that are produced. Fortunately, the worldwide web and programming tools developed for programming web content assist with meeting the challenge and make it easier than ever to make model results available to planners and the public. Following are examples of model results visualizations that have been developed.
VE-RPAT Scenario Viewer
This shows an exampple of the VE-RPAT Scenario Viewer, where the output from multiple VE-RPAT model runs can be viewed in an interactive fashion. The user can select different combinations of input factors and find out how various future outcomes are affected by each selection. Users can also select desired outcomes and find out what factors cause those outcomes to occur. By experimenting with the selections and observing the results, users will get a better understanding of the relationships between policy choices and context factors and future outcomes.
VE-RSPM Scenario Viewer
This shows an example of the VE-RSPM Scenario Viewer, based on a similar structre to the VE-RPAT visualizer described above.
ODOT Scenario Viewer
ODOT’s scenario viewer is a web application that enables users to explore the results of modeling hundreds of scenarios in an interactive manner. Users can investigate how changing future assumptions affects outcome measures. They can also work backwards and determine what inputs are associated with outcomes they choose.
Choices and Voices
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission created a web application that allows the public to provide feedback on how the greater Philadelphia region should grow and how the transportation system for the region should be funded, managed, and improved. It provides feedback on how those choices affect various performance measures and allow users to submit their choices to planners.