Procedural knowledge for integrated modelling: Towards the Modelling Playground

Integration aims to bridge disciplines and bring together knowledge that is fragmented across these disciplines. However, practical integration in Natural Resource Management (NRM) remains out-paced by the increasing pressures on natural resources. Research must become more effective at producing tools appropriate for NRM praxis (IAASTD 2009). Quantitative integrated modelling (IM) offers NRM the precision of mathematical formalism for rigorously evaluating hypotheses, testing concepts and comparing management options. To support IM, software tools have made great leaps in recent years. On the other hand, the knowledge of how to apply this "cyber infrastructure" remains mostly tacit and no adequate guidelines are available to support project managers in choosing cyber infrastructure that is appropriate for a specific project. The objective of this paper is to define a framework and a benchmark against which the efficiency of integrated modelling for natural resource management (IM-NRM) processes can be evaluated. First, the IM challenge is characterized by defining complexity, knowledge requirements and, using concepts from organizational theory, three strategies of knowledge acquisition. These include individual learning, collaboration within staff and cooperation with third parties. Next, the three strategies are used to categorize the organizational challenge of IM-NRM with five metaphors. Cyber infrastructure plays a pivotal and distinct role in each metaphor by sharing knowledge across project members. One of these metaphors, the "Modelling Playground," is defined as an optimal combination of the three strategies. Finally, this perspective is used to describe two NRM projects, one from academia and one from a governmental program. Both case studies have undergone significant changes in organizational structure and in knowledge acquisition strategies. The initial choice of cyber infrastructure proved insufficient for these changes and resulted in significant adjustment costs. In conclusion, it is suggested that guidelines for cyber infrastructure used in NRM, which take into consideration the aspired goals, the constraining organizational context and incentive structures, are crucial to improve the effectiveness of NRM. It is also suggested that lesson learning be based on the framework of organizational theory, as well as an action-based approach, to create a test Modelling Playground as a learning hub. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.