Using a participatory scenario development toolbox: added values and impact on quality of scenarios

To capture a system's uncertainty, a participatory, integrated approach is a prerequisite of many scenario development projects. Increasingly, a toolbox of methods is employed to facilitate stakeholder input. In this paper we evaluate four potential added values of using a toolbox of methods and the effect on the quality of resulting scenarios. Ten case studies within a large project (SCENES), that set out to develop participatory scenarios for Europe's freshwaters, are used to test our hypotheses. We analysed a first series of scenario workshops, evaluating (dis)advantages of the toolbox and the quality of scenarios as perceived by stakeholders and local organisers. As can be deduced from the resulting scenarios, results indicate that all hypothesised added values materialised to some extent. Using a toolbox enlarges the possibilities to: (1) adapt to local circumstances; (2) adapt to a variety of stakeholders; (3) compare results across scales and across case studies; and (4) facilitate a link of models and stories. However, a careful balance has to be found between the length of workshop, number and type of tools employed, and previous experience of stakeholders and local organisers. The results have implications for practitioners setting out to develop water or climate adaptation scenarios that could benefit from all the added values tested here. Finally, employing a toolbox can positively influence scenario quality, although more structured tests are needed.

Competency Equilibrium and Instructional Scenarios' Quality

This chapter focuses on the quality of instructional scenarios. An instructional scenario is a particular kind of aggregated resources composed of learning objects (LO) or resources, actors and activities according to an Educational Modeling Language (EML) such as the IMS Learning Design or the TELOS Scenarios Language (TSL) both presented in Chapter 8. Among the factors which permit the production of “good” scenarios, one of the most important is the use of Instructional Engineering methods. The case of the MISA method was presented in Chapter 8. Another alternative was presented in Chapter 9 where the elaboration of the scenarios is based on the use of patterns directly in link with the type of cognitive skill aimed by the scenario. Another working example to improve scenario quality was conducted by Psyche, Bourdeau, Nkambou & Mizoguchi (2005) where learning and instructional theories guide the use of IMS Learning Design educational modeling language. In the present chapter, another alternative for quality scenarios is developed: scenario validation driven by the competencies which are associated with the scenario and its components.