Difference between revisions of "Mesta"

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{{DSS description, Name, responsible organisation and contact person
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{{DSS, Wiki quality control
|Name=Mesta
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|Has flag=N/A
|Acronym=Mesta
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|Responsible organisation=Finnish Forest Research Institute
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|Type of the owner organization=research institution
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|Institutional framework=commercial product
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|Contact person for the Wiki=Mikko Kurttila
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|Contact e-mail for the Wiki=mikko.kurttila at metla.fi
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|Contact person for the DSS=Mikko Kurttila
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|Contact e-mail for the DSS=mikko.kurttila at metla.fi
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}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Scope of the tool
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{{DSS, Name, responsible organisation and contact person
|Description=
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|Has full name=Mesta
|Modelling dimension=Economical indicators, Forest indicators, user defined
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|Has acronym=Mesta
|Temporal scale=long term (strategic)
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|Has wiki contact person=Mikko Kurttila
|Spatial context=spatial with neighbourhood interrelations, spatial with no neighbourhood interrelations, non spatial
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|Has wiki contact e-mail=mikko.kurttila@metla.fi
|Spatial scale=regional/national level, forest level, stand level
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|Objectives dimension=multiple objectives
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|Goods and services dimension=market wood products
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|Forest management goal=
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|Supported tree species=any
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|Supported silvicultural regime=even-aged, uneven-aged/natural regeneration, uneven-aged/plantation, coppice system, agroforestry, user defined
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|Decision making dimension=single decision maker
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}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Concrete application
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{{DSS, Software identification
|Number of users=N/A
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|Has software=Mesta.Software
|Number of real-life applications=N/A
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|Utilisation in education: kind of utilisation (demo, use)=used by students
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}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Installation and support
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{{DSS, Description
|Status=used (stable and upgraded/upgraded recently)
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|Has description=An internet-based decision-support application for (participatory) maker strategic-level natural resources discrete choice situations.
|Accessibility=restricted access
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|Has modelling scope=Economical indicators, Forest indicators, user defined
|Commercial product=Yes
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|Has temporal scale=Long term (strategic)
|Deployment cost=N/A
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|Has spatial context=Non spatial, Spatial with neighbourhood interrelations, Spatial with no neighbourhood interrelations
|Price=
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|Has spatial scale=Forest level, Regional/national level, Stand level
 +
|Has objectives dimension=Multiple objectives
 +
|Has goods and services dimension=Market wood products
 +
|Has decision making dimension=Single decision maker
 +
|Supports tree species=any
 +
|Supports silvicultural regime=even-aged, uneven-aged/natural regeneration, uneven-aged/plantation, coppice system, agroforestry, user defined
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Data, data model and data management
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{{DSS, Concrete application
|Input data requirements=Forest inventory data
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|Has number of users=N/A
|Format of the input data=text file
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|Has number of real-life applications=N/A
|Data validation=N/A
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|Has utilisation in education=used by students
|Format of the output data=table, graph, pre-defined report, pre-programmed summaries
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|Internal data management=memory only
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|Database=N/A
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|GIS integration=N/A
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|Data mining=N/A
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|Spatial analysis=
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}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Models and methods, MBMS, decision support techniques
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{{DSS, Decision support techniques used in the DSS
|Forest models=
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|Has decision support techniques=Mesta.Decision support techniques
|Ecological models=
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|Social models=
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|MCDM methods=Other multi-agent MCDM
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|Optimisation package=
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|Optimisation algorithm=N/A
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|Risk evaluation=N/A
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|Uncertainty evaluation=N/A
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|Planning scenario=  
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}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Support of knowledge management process
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{{DSS, Support of Knowledge Management
|Integrated KM techniques to identify and structure knowledge=
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|Has knowledge management processes=Mesta.Knowledge management process
|Integrated KM techniques to analyse and apply knowledge=
+
 
}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, Support of social participation
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{{DSS, Support of social participation
|Stakeholder identification support=
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|Has support for social participation=Mesta.Support of social participation
|Planning criteria formation support=
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|Planning process monitoring and evaluation=
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|Planning outcome monitoring and evaluation=
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}}
 
}}
{{DSS description, User interface and outputs
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{{DSS, DSS development
|User access control=No
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|Has DSS development=Mesta.Description of DSS development
|Parameterised GUI=Yes
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|GUI technology=Flash
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}}
 
}}
{{{DSS description, System design and development
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{{DSS, Documentation
|Software development methodology=
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|Has website=http://www.mesta.metla.fi
|Methods applied in the requirement phase=
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|Has manual=No
|Methods applied in the design phase=
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|Has technical documentation=No
|Methods applied in the construction phase=
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|Has reference=HILTUNEN, V., M. KURTTILA, P. LESKINEN, K. PASANEN et J. PYKÄLÄINEN (2009): Mesta: An internet-based decision-support application for participatory strategic-level natural resources planning. Forest Policy and Economics 11: 1-9.
|Methods applied in the testing phase=
+
 
|Methods applied to ensure software quality=
+
PASANEN, K., M. KURTTILA, J. PYKÄLÄINEN, J. KANGAS, et P. LESKINEN (2005): MESTA - Non-industrial private forest owners' decision-support environment for the evaluation of alternative forest plans over the internet. Internationaljournal ofinformation Technology & Decision Making 4(4): 601-620 KANGAS ,A., J. KANGAS etM. KURTTILA (2008): Decision supportfor forest management. Managing Forest Ecosystems 16. Springer. 222 p.  
|Development start year=
+
|Number of development years (100% equivalent)=
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|Development team size=
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|Team profiles=
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|Number of forest specialists in the development team=
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|Number of users participating in specification=
+
}}
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{{DSS description, Technological architecture, integration with other systems
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|System type=client-server (web)
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|Application architecture=
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|Communication architecture=
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|Operating system=Linux/Unix, Windows, OS X
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|Programming language=other
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|Scalability=No
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|Interoperability=
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|Integration with other systems=
+
|Related tools=
+
}}
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{{DSS description, Ongoing development
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|Adaptation effort (man years)=N/A
+
}}
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{{DSS description, Documentation
+
|Website=http://www.mesta.metla.fi
+
|Online demo=http://www.mesta.metla.fi
+
|Manual=No
+
|Technical documentation=No
+
|References=HILTUNEN, V., M. KURTTILA, P. LESKINEN, K. PASANEN et J. PYKÄLÄINEN (2009): Mesta: An internet-based decision-support application for participatory strategic-level natural resources planning. Forest Policy and Economics 11: 1-9.
+
PASANEN, K., M. KURTTILA, J. PYKÄLÄINEN, J. KANGAS, et P. LESKINEN (2005): MESTA - Non-industrial private forest owners' decision-support environment for the evaluation of alternative forest plans over the internet. Internationaljournal ofinformation Technology & Decision Making 4(4): 601-620
+
KANGAS ,A., J. KANGAS etM. KURTTILA (2008): Decision supportfor forest management. Managing Forest Ecosystems 16. Springer. 222 p.
+
 
}}
 
}}
 
== General System description ==  
 
== General System description ==  

Revision as of 13:45, 18 March 2013

Wiki quality control

Has flag N/A

Name, responsible organisation and contact person

Has full name Mesta
Has acronym Mesta
Has wiki contact person Mikko Kurttila
Has wiki contact e-mail mikko.kurttila@metla.fi

Software identification

Has software Mesta.Software

Description

Has description An internet-based decision-support application for (participatory) maker strategic-level natural resources discrete choice situations.
Has modelling scope Economical indicators, Forest indicators, user defined
Has temporal scale Long term (strategic)
Has spatial context Non spatial, Spatial with neighbourhood interrelations, Spatial with no neighbourhood interrelations
Has spatial scale Forest level, Regional/national level, Stand level
Has objectives dimension Multiple objectives
Has related DSS
Has goods and services dimension Market wood products
Has decision making dimension Single decision maker
Has forest management goal
Supports tree species any
Supports silvicultural regime even-aged, uneven-aged/natural regeneration, uneven-aged/plantation, coppice system, agroforestry, user defined

Concrete application

Has typical use case
Has user profile
Has country
Has references about examples of application
Has number of users N/A
Has number of real-life applications N/A
Has utilisation in education used by students
Has research project reference
Has tool dissemination

Decision support techniques used in the DSS

Has decision support techniques Mesta.Decision support techniques

Support of Knowledge Management

Has knowledge management processes Mesta.Knowledge management process

Support of social participation

Has support for social participation Mesta.Support of social participation

DSS development

Has DSS development Mesta.Description of DSS development

Documentation

Has website http://www.mesta.metla.fi
Has online demo
Has manual No
Has technical documentation No
Has reference HILTUNEN, V., M. KURTTILA, P. LESKINEN, K. PASANEN et J. PYKÄLÄINEN (2009): Mesta: An internet-based decision-support application for participatory strategic-level natural resources planning. Forest Policy and Economics 11: 1-9.

PASANEN, K., M. KURTTILA, J. PYKÄLÄINEN, J. KANGAS, et P. LESKINEN (2005): MESTA - Non-industrial private forest owners' decision-support environment for the evaluation of alternative forest plans over the internet. Internationaljournal ofinformation Technology & Decision Making 4(4): 601-620 KANGAS ,A., J. KANGAS etM. KURTTILA (2008): Decision supportfor forest management. Managing Forest Ecosystems 16. Springer. 222 p.

General System description

System name: Mesta

Brief overview

An internet-based decision-support application for (participatory) maker strategic-level natural resources discrete choice situations.

Scope of the system

Mesta has been designed to support multi-criteria decision making situations. It works in the Internet. It demands the decision maker to define his/her acceptance threshold (=border of approval) for all predefined criteria. The acceptance border definitions are continued until only one alternative exists that is above the acceptance borders. On the other hand, the functioning reminds approval voting. On the other hand, the functioning reminds feasible region reduction method. However, in Mesta, the alternatives and their criteria values have been created before the approval border definitions.

System origin

Mesta has been developed in Finnish Forest Research Institute.

User rights can be applied from Mikko Kurttila (@metla.fi)

It has real-life applications in four natural resources planning processes of Metsähallitus. The size of the planning areas have been several hundred thousand hectares and typically there has been some 15 participants. They have first used Mesta independently. After this phase and related learning process, group negotiation with Mesta has been carried out, where the final accepted solution for the area has been searched.

Support for specific issues

The Mesta DSS is a general system and it can be applied to numerous decision situations (buying a car, selecting a treatment schedule for stand, and selecting a strategy for a region etc.).

Support for specific thematic areas of a problem type

Strategic planning processes and general discrete choice situations with multiple criteria.

Capability to support decision making phases

Supports the selection phase. Criteria selection, definition of alternatives and estimating the impacts of alternatives has to be carried out before using Mesta.


Data and data models

Mesta interface showing the threshold values which were used as the starting point of the negotiation process in a case study. (Source: HILTUNEN et al. 2009)

Typical spatial extent of application

Varies a lot, from stand level to region or country level.

Forest data input

So called result matrix that includes:

  1. selected evaluation criteria
  2. predefined alternatives
  3. estimated outcome from alternative for each criteria

Numerical criteria needs to be used. The aim can be either to maximize or to minimize the criteria value.

Type of information input from user (via GUI)

Two types of users exist:

  1. A facilitator that defines the decision problem and gives the information of the result matrix. In addition, a facilitator defines the participants.
  2. A participant gives his/her acceptance border values for each criteria.


Decision Support

Mesta interface showing the final threshold values in a case study. (Source: HILTUNEN et al. 2009)

Types of decisions supported

  • Management level
    • applicable to all levels
  • Management function
  • discrete choice situations (select one of the alternatives)
  • Decision making situation
    • Unilateral
    • Participatory decision making

Decision-making processes and models

  • Multiple criteria decision support
    • Based on acceptance border definitions from the users and group negotiation


Output

Types of outputs

  • Points out the selected alternative


System

System requirements

  • Operating Systems: Web-based
  • Development status: System in use

Architecture and major DSS components

Web-based system. Utilizes flash-application.

Usage

Used in practical decision making, in projects as well as in research.

Computational limitations

At maximum 10 criteria and 30 alternatives.

User interface

Easily understandable interface, small amount of information demanded from the participant.

Installation

  • Directly usable after the user has username and password
  • Cost: Case-specific, to be negotiated
  • Demo: see www.mesta.metla.fi where a small decision problem is available


References

Cited references

HILTUNEN, V., M. KURTTILA, P. LESKINEN, K. PASANEN et J. PYKÄLÄINEN (2009): Mesta: An internet-based decision-support application for participatory strategic-level natural resources planning. Forest Policy and Economics 11: 1-9.

PASANEN, K., M. KURTTILA, J. PYKÄLÄINEN, J. KANGAS, et P. LESKINEN (2005): MESTA - Non-industrial private forest owners' decision-support environment for the evaluation of alternative forest plans over the internet. International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making 4(4): 601-620.

KANGAS ,A., J. KANGAS et M. KURTTILA (2008): Decision support for forest management. Managing Forest Ecosystems 16. Springer. 222 p.