AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR SOCIO-TECHNICAL SYSTEMS ANALYSIS BY THE APPLICATION OF A WEB MAP SOLUTION
Authors: Zaķe Mairita , Kepka Michal , Majore Ginta 
Published: November 2021

INTRODUCTION

Socio-technical systems modelling and analysis are playing an important role for sustainability and scenario evaluation in different situations and domains – environmental modelling and simulation, agricultural management, tourism simulation, educational purposes and many others. There are many challenges when scientists are faced with a practical systems simulation modelling situation. These challenges are on choosing an appropriate simulation modelling tool according to the particular situation and on-site integration of a large amount of data  in the simulation environment. An option for that particular challenge is to develop a solution by the application of multiple modelling approaches and by integrating  them with the Web map application to provide the online data needed for simulation processes and the analysis of different scenarios or outcomes.

The aim of this paper is to present the results of interdisciplinary research done in collaboration with scientists in environmental modelling and the socio-technical systems engineering fields.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Enterprise modelling as a model development tool is used to provide a holistic understanding of the mentioned domain. In the case of policy makers, the application of 4EM methodology and incorporation of a simulation modelling environment offers a comprehensive tool to influence relevant policies and regulations on the basis of the best available information and the outcome of different scenarios.

Modern web map applications provide an interactive form of data presentation, especially in the case of spatially related data. On the one hand, the user can easily define inputs to analyses and on the other hand, results of the analyses and simulations are presented in a way that the user can extract information on different levels.

RESULTS

As an outcome of this research is an integrated approach for socio-technical systems analysis which is applied  in a Web Map Application to provide online visualization of the data provided in the form of maps, charts and tables.

This application also provides a participatory tool that involves scientists and members of the general public, working together to develop conceptual and dynamic models to address environmental issues. The parameters and conditions of these areas are continuously changing.

The enterprise modelling approach in combination with simulation tools and utilization of a modern web map application provides an active research tool in situations when many stakeholders are involved in building a comprehensive model and to get the most benefit from its outcome.

It also provides a holistic view of environmental processes and their influence on residential activities in the protected landscape areas.

A practical result of this paper, the solution designed and developed during the research was tested in a real life situation in Kala lake with inputs provided by the management board of the lake and an environmental agency. Visualization of the results in the form of an interactive web map application provided an explanatory and straightforward presentation of the results for an expert group, as well as for the general public.

The developed web map application combines  the visualization of the results in the form of charts and tables with the visualization of spatially related phenomena as data layers in a map window, with other map layers from different data providers. On the other hand, the web map application provides functionality for users to insert the parameters of analytical methods and simulation tools to improve the results from previous iterations and/or additional conditions to the computations.

DISCUSSION

The advantages of the presented approach is to combine mathematical operations and simulations in the background while the results of these background operations are presented using graphical and cartographic methods in an explanatory form for a variety of users. The expansion of the utilization of web maps in recent  years provides an interactive way to present information and to extract knowledge that are important as a support for further decision- and policy-making processes.

CONCLUSION

Future work is related with the application of a multi-approach in the socio-technical systems analysis, simulation, verification and validation processes. The interoperability of different modelling software would expand the functionality of the proposed software.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Michal Kepka was supported by the project LO1506 of the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports under the program NPU I.