Opasnet WSA contest preparation

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This page contains preparational stuff for WSA contest

Timeline

• Registration starts 1.2.2011
• Registration ends 25.3.2011
• Jury evaluation starts 7.4.2011 and ends 14.4.2011
• Opasnet must be in top shape before 7.4.2011

Evaluation criteria

1. Quality and comprehensiveness of content
2. Ease of use: functionality, navigation and orientation
3. Value added through interactivity and multimedia
4. Quality of design (aesthetic value of graphics / music or sounds)
5. Quality of craftsmanship (technical realisation)
6. Strategic importance for the global development of the Information Society
7. Accessibility according to the W3C (http://www.w3.org)

Product data

Short description

(in English, max. 1000 characters) Lyhyt teksti, tarkoituksena vakuuttaa tuomari siitä että tähän työhän kannattaa paneutua tarkemmin. Hissipuhe!

Opasnet is a collective knowledge production environment for improving societal decision-making. It is designed for self-organised groups to bring in, synthesize, and critically discuss scientific information and value judgements in open assessments that influence decisions. These can take many shapes ranging from testing the validity of claims presented in mass media to constructing policy recommendations and expert advice for the decision makers. The philosophy of Opasnet is to promote information sharing and collective problem solving in all areas of society, especially in governance. Opasnet is open to everyone and its users, citizens, scientists and decision makers, can contribute in various roles from data provider to discussion moderator. If one classifies social media platforms according to what kind of questions they address, Facebook asks 'How are you?', Wikipedia asks 'What is this?', and Opasnet asks 'What should we do about it?'.

Old version 1

Opasnet is a collective knowledge production environment for improving societal decision-making. It is designed for self-organised groups to bring in, synthesize, and critically discuss scientific information and value judgements related to decisions through open assessments. These can take many shapes ranging from testing the validity of claims presented in mass media to constructing policy recommendations and expert advice for the decision makers. According to the Opasnet philosophy, everyone can contribute and utilize the results for free. Citizens can offer their values, expectations and data for the basis of the assessments. For experts, government officials, professional scientists etc., Opasnet offers a range of tools that help in (1) generating, presenting and storing the results for others to re-use and validate, (2) integrating the results systematically with the existing body of knowledge from other assessments, and (3) assessing the quality of the contributions.

Long description

(in English, max. 4000 characters) Tämä on yksityiskohtaisempi selostus työstä, jos on hyviä käyttäjätilastoja tai palautetta, ne kannattaa myös esitellä tässä.

Opasnet is designed for analysis and interpretation of information of general kind, and it enables publication and collaborative production of original research, which has practical relevance for society both in the long term and in the short term.

A typical assessment task in Opasnet would be to collectively answer a question such as 'How should Town Y reduce its energy needs and thus greenhouse gas emissions by 20 % in the next 20 years?' (see http://en.opasnet.org/w/Urgenche) from the public health, economic, and ecological perspectives. Some parts of the analysis can utilize scientific facts and data more directly (e.g. life-cycle analysis of CO2 emissions of different options) whereas some others rely on the values and expectations of the citizenry (do I opt for the more expensive choice if it reduces the risk of adverse health effects?). The former question can be answered by experts (government officials, scientists) and the latter requires input from the citizens as regards their values and expectations. For historical reasons, Opasnet contains several risk-benefit analyses about environmental health (a field studying health effects caused by environmental factors). However, all types of research issues and methodologies can be utilized in Opasnet.

To help the users utilize the growing body of knowledge produced in the assessments, Opasnet relies on a systematic theory of information representation, which helps the users to organize the results in terms of well-defined variables and data structures that can be re-used and combined by other users. Therefore, in addition to offering MediaWiki tools for textual knowledge generation, Opasnet also provides tools for model-based analysis. This is important because from policy planning to engineering problems, model-based decision making is becoming more prevalent in all areas of governance. Opasnet provides an environment where the underlying assumptions of the models can be documented and debated, where the models and the data can be published and shared, and where the methods and assumptions can be openly challenged and collectively improved. Importantly, also the quality and usefulness of the contributions can be evaluated by the users.

Numerical data related to quantifiable variables used in assessments can be stored in a database integrated with the wiki. The database, Opasnet Base, is a storage and retrieval system operated simply through the browser. It is designed to be flexible enough to store information in almost any format: probability distributions or deterministic point estimates; spatially or temporally distributed data; or data with multiple dimensions. It can be used as a direct source of model input data. Thus, users can develop own models and directly download data from a shared repository, utilising e.g. the current population data, climate scenarios, or dose-responses of pollutants.

Data can be uploaded into Opasnet Base directly from tables on Opasnet pages or by using any external statistical software that supports database connections. Thus, any numerical method and program, open source or proprietary, can be used in quantification of variables, and the results can be stored in Opasnet Base. However, many users have no access to or skills for proprietary computing software. Therefore Opasnet supports R modelling language, and R code can be run on Opasnet server. The user interface is easy: code is written directly on a wiki page, and it can be run by anyone simply by clicking a button. A growing selection of ready-made code and functions are available on Opasnet pages.

All parts of the integrated Opasnet environment including the R tool and Opasnet Base are open source.

In year 2010 Opasnet had almost 2000 unique visitors and average time spend on site was over 9 minutes. In the same year Finnish language version of Opasnet had over 6500 unique visitors; it nearly doubled its average time spent on site and the number of pages. The English language version, which contains considerably more articles and assessments, is driven mainly by international science collaborations, and will be the focal point of PR work in 2011.

TODO: {{#todo:Urgenche pitää päivittää, koska siihen viitataan tekstissä. Pitää saada ainakin projektin abstrakti jotta selviää, että siinä tehdään kaupunkitason ilmastopolitiikkaa.|Jouni Tuomisto, Mikko Pohjola|}}

Old version 1

The knowledge generation in Opasnet goes beyond the encyclopedic question-setting “What is X?”. Opasnet is designed for analysis and interpretation of information of general kind, and it enables publication and collaborative production of original research, which has practical relevance for society both in the long term and in the short term.

A typical assessment task in Opasnet would be to collectively answer a question such as “How should Country X/Town Y satisfy its energy needs in the next 10 years?” from the economic, public health and ecological perspectives. Some parts of the analysis can utilize scientific facts and data more directly (e.g. life-cycle analysis of CO2 emissions of different options) whereas some others rely on the values and expectations of the citizenry (do I opt for the more expensive choice Z if it halves the probability of acquiring a health problem W?). These types of questions typically appear as parts of assessments, which take the form of a risk-benefit analysis. For historical reasons, Opasnet contains several risk-benefit type of studies of questions related to environmental health. However, all types of research issues and methodologies can be utilized in Opasnet.

To help the users utilize the growing body of knowledge produced in the assessments, Opasnet relies on systematic theory of information representation which helps the users to organize the results in terms of well-defined variables and data structures that can be re-used and combined by other users. Therefore, in addition to offering MediaWiki tools for textual knowledge generation, Opasnet also provides tools for model-based analysis. This is important because from policy planning to engineering problems model-based decision making is becoming more prevalent in all areas of governance. Opasnet provides an environment where the underlying assumptions of the models can be debated, where the models and the data can be published and shared, and where the methods and assumptions can be openly challenged and collectively improved.

The numerical data related to the quantifiable variables used in the studies can be stored in a database integrated with the wiki. The database, Opasnet Base, is a storage and retrieval system operated simply through the browser. It is designed to be flexible enough to store information in almost any format: probability distributions or deterministic point estimates; spatially or temporally distributed data; or data with multiple dimensions. It can be used as a direct source of model input data, thus making it possible to use shared input information sources (JUHA: MITÄ TARKOITTAA SHARED?) such as population data, climate scenarios, or dose-responses of pollutants. Data can be uploaded into Opasnet Base directly from tables in the wiki pages or by using any external statistical software which supports database connections.

Any numerical method and program, OpenSource or proprietary, can, of course be used to compute the mathematical models used in quantification of the variables, and the results can be stored in OpasnetBase. In order to help users with no access to proprietary computing software, as well as for the ease of use, Opasnet supports R-language code to be embedded directly on the wiki page and also run from an external server. All parts of the integrated Opasnet environment including the R-solver are Open source.

In year 2010 Opasnet had almost 2000 unique visitors and average time spend on site was over 9 minutes. In the same year Finnish language version of Opasnet had over 6500 unique visitors and nearly doubled its average time spend on site and the number of pages. The English language version, which contains considerably more articles/assessments is driven mainly by international science collaborations, and will be the focal point of PR work in 2011.

Favourite path to the product

(in English, max. 2000 characters) Tähän kannattaa panna selostus siitä, mitä valikkoja/painikkeita klikkaamalla kilpailutyöstä saa mahdollisimman nopeasti parhaan yleiskuvan.

Currently, Opasnet has three distinct wikis. The main wiki is simply called Opasnet (http://en.opasnet.org) and it is in English. Another wiki, Opasnet Fi, (http://fi.opasnet.org) is for Finnish material, just like language versions in Wikipedia. The third wiki, Heande, is for materials that cannot (yet) be published and is mainly used by researchers for their actual work; this part does not participate in the WSA contest.

The structure of Opasnet is very close to Wikipedia with its encyclopedia article pages, categories, portals, page histories, discussion pages, and special pages for different functionalities. The main content is organised as assessment pages that have several sub-pages called variables. Each variable is actually a description of a part of an assessment model, and many variables have computational code (under title Formula) and/or numerical results (link Show results). Codes can be run by clicking the button below, e.g. ### Variables are stand-alone pages and they may be a part of zero, one or more assessments.

Assessments are done for the practical purpose of guiding decisions, whether daily decisions by individuals or policies by nations. Therefore, the Main Page contains a list of recent recommendations based on assessments. See e.g. http://bit.ly/fizLvI (iodine tablets) http://bit.ly/eyXZ3p (pollutants in salmon).

There are several finished assessments performed in Opasnet about environment and health: http://bit.ly/fX3mup (indoor and asthma) http://bit.ly/g4frtS (radon) http://bit.ly/f232ae (heat islands) http://bit.ly/h5bk3Z (methylmercury). There are also more recent examples about ongoing work: http://bit.ly/gTGfyf (swine flu).

Mature pages can be rated by the readers based on their scientific quality and perceived usefulness. The rating bar shows on the top right corner of a page.

----#: . Tämä on vielä vähän turhan paljon rakenteen, sisällön ja toimintojen kuvailua. Ymmärtääkseni pitäisi pyrkiä enemmän sellaiseen "opastettu tutustumiskierros kädestä pitäen järjestelmän edustavimpiin osiin" -tyyppiseen kuvaukseen. --Mikko Pohjola 20:34, 24 March 2011 (EET) (type: truth; paradigms: science: comment)

Installation procedure

No installation procedure is needed. Opasnet is a web service which be accessed from anywhere and it can be used with any modern web browser.

(in English, max. 2000 characters)

Special technical requirements

No special technical requirements are needed. Opasnet can be used with any modern web browser. However we recommend to use Firefox, Google Chrome or Safari.

(in English, max. 2000 characters)

Short description of the reason for production

(in English, max. 2000 characters)

The purpose of Opasnet is to improve democratic decision making. The work started in the late 1990's from an idea that decisions in the society are made with poorer information than what actually exists. Several reasons were identified: 1) lack of resources to search for information, which is dispersed; 2) lack of motivation and practices among information owners to make information available for decision making; 3) lack of understanding of the actual values and preferences of citizens; 4) lack of critical, systematic discussion about conclusions that are coherent with information and values; and finally, 5) lack of societal demand to improve problems 1-4.

These problems were especially pronounced in two very different kinds of situations. First, complex, multi-disciplinary, trans-boundary issues such as climate change policies are too difficult to handle by using a single assessment, model, or expert group. Therefore, the current methods work poorly. Second, daily decisions about home insulation, transport mode, or climate-friendly diet are made by millions of decision makers. Each person may choose rationally for oneself but without understanding its societal impacts on e.g. climate. Both kinds of decision makers need guidance by better information.

The work to improve the situation started in early 2000's by utilising and improving impact assessment and decision analysis in environmental health. Later, several innovations for informing decision makers were developed and implemented in Opasnet: an open web-workspace Opasnet to facilitate information flow between researchers, decision makers, and stakeholders; a method to perform assessments by open self-organised groups; methods to handle critical discussions (both scientific and political); methods to work on quantitative policy models online; and a versatile database to store inputs to and results from these policy assessment models.

Target group for the product

(in English, max. 2000 characters)

Researchers

Opasnet offers a channel for professional researchers to apply their research directly to practical and acute problems. With Opasnet, they can also prove the policy relevance to science funders straightforwardly (Cf. US National Institutes of Health (NIH) regulations on Wikipedia publishing.)

Government officials

By opening up public data and by inviting citizens to participate in policy planning from the beginning is already becoming reality in many countries. In Opasnet government officials can give expert advice, say on legal issues concerning proposals, search for best-practices solutions with the citizens through comparing ideas and suggestions qualitatively and quantitatively. The same applies for municipal level civil servants.

Special interest groups

Opasnet allows citizen networks to be seen as a resource that can help in governance and to which part of the planning tasks can be outsourced. Even though not all citizens individually possess the skills and knowledge to make a serious contribution in trying to address complicated problems, self-organized networks will have this ability. Opasnet invites these groups to develop their ideas to mature enough level so that they can be directly used by authorities as part of the official plans.

Journalists

Opasnet is the missing link between peer-reviewed science journals and daily newspapers. It helps to re-animate investigative journalism by offering a free pool of collectively enriched information that journalists can use when preparing articles for their respective newspapers. Any added bias in the journalistic process does not matter because the primary material, with all the comments and supplementing material can always be found on Opasnet for those newspaper readers who are interested in seeing the larger picture.

Politicians

Opasnet is the scout handbook for decision makers.

----#: . Tämän voisi selittää lyhyesti, esim.: "i.e. a source for solutions to all kinds of problems." --Mikko Pohjola 06:31, 25 March 2011 (EET) (type: truth; paradigms: science: comment)

Everyone

Many assessments provide practical guidance to individuals about e.g. fish consumption.

----#: . Tätä voisi vähän tiivistää, jotta saa jonkin sanan sanottua lisäämistäni avainryhmistä. Ehkä voisi myös mainita, että jotkin ryhmät pääasiassa vain lukevat mutta toiset myös tuottavat sisältöä. --Jouni 23:55, 24 March 2011 (EET) (type: truth; paradigms: science: comment)

----#: . Ehkäpä alkuun yksi virke, jossa mainitaan, että Opasnetiä voidaan käyttää eri tavoin, siis lähinnä informaatiota tuottaen tai lähinnä sitä vastaanottaen. (Molemmat ovat kyllä oleellisesti kollektiivista tiedon tuottamista ja oppimista) --Mikko Pohjola 06:31, 25 March 2011 (EET) (type: truth; paradigms: science: comment)

Old version 1

Target group for Opasnet is very wide ranging from normal citizens to scientific specialists. Different users may have different user roles but roles can be very overlapping. Citizens may for example contribute by offering their values, expectations and data for the basis of the assessments. Scientists can provide up-to-date scientific information, combine them with information provided by citizens and produce models based on collaborative knowledge. Politicians can use these models and data they provide to make better decisions.

----#: . Tässäkin voisi korostaa niitä käyttäjiä (tai ehkä paremminkin sitä käyttöä), jotka hyödyntävät Opasnetin avulla tuotettua tietoa yhteiskunnallisesti merkittäviin/vaikuttaviin päätöksiin/toimiin. Virtuaallinen yhdessä tekeminen ja yhdessä oleminen on jo aika arkipäivää, mutta vahva (intentionaalinen, systemaattinen) yhteys reaaliseen tekemiseen on ehkä jotain mikä erottaa Opasnetin yhteisollisten informaatiojärjestelmien valtavirrasta. (Tämä on sitä pragmatismia. Jos kiinnostaa kts. muuten myös Pragmatic knowledge services.) --Mikko Pohjola 06:10, 24 March 2011 (EET) (type: truth; paradigms: science: comment)