Models in Policy Formulation and Assessment: The WadBOS Decision-Support System - Environmental Modelling: Finding Simplicity in Complexity - page 345

Table 21.1 Tools available or wanted in WadBOS and their usefulness in relation to the functions of WadBOS (on a scale from +

to ++++ ).

Tools Analysis Communication Learning Library

Input tools

text editor ++ + +++ +++

value editor +++ + +++ +++

series editor +++ + +++ +++

table editor +++ ++ +++ +++

function editor ++ + + + + +

network (points and lines) editor (*) ++++ ++ ++++ +++

2D map editor ++++ ++ ++++ +++

Open/close files ++++ ++ ++++ ++

++++ ++ +++ +

Import/export files

Output tools

online documentation ++++ +++ ++++ ++++

online help ++ ++ + + ++ + + ++

time graphs ++++ + ++++ +

dynamic maps (2D) ++++ ++ ++++ +

dynamic maps (network) (*) ++++ ++ ++++ +

3D representation ++ +++ +++ +

Animation tool (*) ++ + + ++ + + + +

Tracing tool +++ ++ +++ +

Link to Excel ++++ + +++ +

Log to file ++++ ++ +++ +

Exploration tools

OVERLAY-Tool ++++ +++ +++ +

ANALYSE-Tool ++++ +++ +++ +

SCENARIO-Tool(*) ++ + + ++ ++ +

MONTE CARLO-Tool(*) +++ ++ +++ +

Evaluation tools

SCORE-Table-Tool ++++ ++++ ++++ +

EVALUATE-Tool (MCA)(*) +++ ++++ ++++ +

Goal seeking +++ + + +

(*) available in GEONAMICA, to be implemented in the next version of WadBOS

hence can be viewed and edited by means of standard
software by the end-user if s/he wishes to do so.
In the future, when WadBOS is installed on the
machines of the many end-users of the member orga-
nizations of CUBWAD, there will be an absolute need for
a dedicated central site from where the management and
distribution of the databases is organized. In fact, this is
true for the rest of WadBOS also: its models, its tools
and the application proper. Currently, options are evalu-
ated for a management and distribution organization that

would be accessible from a page in the Interwad Internet
application (www.Interwad.nl).

21.8 The user-interface

The user interface is the vehicle of interaction between the
user and the computer. It hides the complexities of the
internal computer system without hampering its flexibil-
ity. It enables the user to address the different components