Uniting expertise in international development: rethinking decision-support technologies for inclusive stakeholder engagement

Multilateral development banks and international humanitarian organizations leverage analytics and decision-support technologies to ensure optimal outcomes in their initiatives. Yet, in a context where local knowledge is crucial for the relevance and sustainability of projects, reliance on black-box tools and complex models can reduce opportunities for stakeholder engagement and participatory design.

My thesis presents three case studies that illustrate how the use of visual analytics can foster more inclusive decision-making processes. For each case under study, decision-support technologies from the World Bank are converted into interactive visual applications designed to support workshops involving both external and local experts.

Across workshops, we observe variability in the roles served by the applications, ranging from initiating discussions to resolving conflicts. Yet, invariably, they empower local stakeholders by providing them with a platform to share their perspectives, challenge external assumptions, and integrate local knowledge into the decision-making process. Furthermore, we show that application-assisted workshops not only enabled consensus building across various stakeholder groups, but also led to design outcomes closely aligning with local preferences.

System-wide modeling approaches for integrating supply chains into food security analysis: lessons from Uganda 2016–2020

With Erica Gralla, Jarrod Goentzel and Tim Russell

This paper extends the boundaries of traditional food security analysis by proposing a systems modeling framework that integrates supply chains as a key structuring dimension.

Drawing from a USAID/Uganda project, we describe two system dynamics methodologies for embedding supply chains into food security frameworks: data-layered causal loop diagrams (CLDs) and simulation modeling.

These methods are applied in two scenarios: first, to support supply chain interventions aimed at enhancing food security under stable conditions, and second, to monitor supply chains during crises to anticipate and mitigate the risk of famine.

Despite challenges including data scarcity and market fragmentation, our research demonstrates the value of these models in guiding effective policymaking. By integrating supply chains with other enabling subsystems, such as services and regulations, we further underscore the importance of a system-wide perspective and advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration to strengthen the use of modeling techniques across fields.