Syftet med denna forskning var att utveckla ett metodiskt ramverk som skulle kunna tillämpas för policybildning i situationer med en hög nivå av osäkerhet och heterogenitet av befintliga åsikter bland involverade intressenter om riskreducering och hantering såsom covid-19 pandemisk risk. I detta dokument presenterar vi ett sådant ramverk och dess tillämpning för beslutsfattande i Botswana för att mildra covid-19-pandemin. Syftet med den föreslagna modellen är dubbelt: för det första att förse beslutsfattare med tillförlitlig och användbar epidemiologisk modellering eftersom åtgärder för att begränsa spridningen av covid-19-viruset till en början till stor del baserades på olika epidemiologiska riskbedömningar. För det andra, med tanke på att vissa uppsättningar åtgärder som antagits i andra delar av världen successivt medför höga eller till och med mycket höga sociala och ekonomiska kostnader för de länder som antog dessa åtgärder, tillhandahöll vi en beslutsstödsmodell med flera kriterier som kunde användas för att att väga olika politiska tillvägagångssätt för att bekämpa virusspridningen med hänsyn till lokala konsekvensbedömningar inom en mängd olika samhällsområden. Vi beskriver hur utformningen av en nationell covid-19-strategi och policy i Botswana 2020 hjälptes till genom att använda IKT-beslutsstödsmodeller som en viktig informationskälla. Därefter presenterar vi simuleringsmodellen för virusspridning och dess resultat som är kopplade till en multikriteriebeslutsstödsmodell. Slutligen diskuterar vi hur ramverket kan vidareutvecklas för Botswanas behov för att optimera riskhanteringsalternativ vid hantering av covid-19 och andra pandemiscenarier. Det betydande forskningsbidraget är att flytta fram forskningsfronten när det gäller en metodik för att inkludera heterogenitet i åsikter och identifiering av kompromisslösningar i policyrelevanta diskurser under en hög grad av osäkerhet.

The purpose of this research was to develop a methodological framework that could be applied for policy formation in situations having a high level of uncertainty and heterogeneity of existing opinions among involved stakeholders about risk mitigation and management such as COVID-19 pandemic risk. In this paper, we present such a framework and its application for policy decision-making in Botswana for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the proposed model is twofold: firstly, to supply decision-makers with reliable and usable epidemiologic modelling since measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus were initially to a large extent based on various epidemiologic risk assessments. Secondly, given that some sets of measures adopted in other parts of the world were progressively imposing high or even very high social and economic costs on the countries which adopted these measures, we provided a multi-criteria decision support model which could be used in order to weigh different policy approaches to combat the virus spread taking into consideration local impact assessments across a variety of societal areas. We describe how the formulation of a national COVID-19 strategy and policy in Botswana in 2020 was aided by using ICT decision support models as a vital information source. Then we present the virus spread simulation model and its results which are connected to a multi-criteria decision support model. Finally, we discuss how the framework can be further developed for the needs of Botswana to optimise hazard management options in the case of handling COVID-19 and other pandemic scenarios. The significant research contribution is on advancing the research frontier regarding a methodology of including the heterogeneity of views and identification of compromise solutions in policy-relevant discourses under a high degree of uncertainty.

Misinformation in social media is an actual and contested policy problem given its outreach and the variety of stakeholders involved. In particular, increased social media use makes the spread of misinformation almost universal. Here we demonstrate a framework for evaluating tools for detecting misinformation using a preference elicitation approach, as well as an integrated decision analytic process for evaluating desirable features of systems for combatting misinformation. The framework was tested in three countries (Austria, Greece, and Sweden) with three groups of stakeholders (policymakers, journalists, and citizens). Multi-criteria decision analysis was the methodological basis for the research. The results showed that participants prioritised information regarding the actors behind the distribution of misinformation and tracing the life cycle of misinformative posts. Another important criterion was whether someone intended to delude others, which shows a preference for trust, accountability, and quality in, for instance, journalism. Also, how misinformation travels is important. However, all criteria that involved active contributions to dealing with misinformation were ranked low in importance, which shows that participants may not have felt personally involved enough in the subject or situation. The results also show differences in preferences for tools that are influenced by cultural background and that might be considered in the further development of tools.

We discuss a computationally meaningful process for evaluating misinformation detection tools in the context of immigration in Austria, admitting for the wide variety of qualitative and quantitative data involved. The evaluation machinery is based on a library of tools to support the process in both the elicitation and evaluation phases, including automatized preference elicitation procedures, development of result robustness measures as well as algorithms for co-evaluating quantitative and qualitative data in various formats. The focus of our work is on the Austrian limited profit housing sector, which makes up 24% of the total housing stock and more than 30% of the total of new construction, with a high share of migrants as tenants. We describe the results from workshops analysing the existing misinformation on migration issues in Austria, where we also introduced a co-creation phase. To better understand the stakeholder ecosystem and the lifecycle of misinformation towards social conflicts, we applied a software for integrated multi-stakeholder-multi-attribute problems under risk subject to incomplete or imperfect information, based on the evaluation machinery. Perceived counter-measures of importance turned out to be institutional and regulatory measures in combination with the creation of info-points, measures to raise awareness and stimulate critical thinking, production of tools to deal with misinformation, provision of reliable sources of information, and creation of a culture of thinking.

This case study illustrates how migrants in Sweden were involved in the development of a new online platform Mobilearn (Mobilearn, n.d.). In particular, it shows how migrants have shaped the design of a new digital tool in collaboration with service providers from a range of public agencies. The resulting digital tool, Mobilearn, provides a number of key services tailored to the needs of migrants and helps to make public services provided to migrants more efficient. It is therefore a case study of the co-creation of a core service. Mobilearn has received multiple awards and is now being disseminated in other countries.

Today’s large flows of information create new challenges for government administrations. In the age of social media, it is not surprising, given the real-time nature of social media outlets that government agencies as well as non-governmental organisations use these means to ensure immediate awareness in cases of breaking events, such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks. However, along with valid information misinformation has been found to be transmitted in social media even during crisis and emergency situations. Misinformation is a common problem in all media, but is exacerbated in digital social media due to the speed and ease with which it can be spread. Furthermore, at this speed, providing countervailing corrective information in a timely manner is even more challenging. The social web enables people to spread information rapidly without confirmation of truth.

Digital disruption through misinformation highlights the need for national governments to create an inclusive, transparent and accountable digital sphere to address this phenomenon.

The main challenges and potential solutions for governments and citizens are examined in this report by ICA, eGovlab of Stockholm University, the Open University in UK and the OECD.

This paper reports on the ambitions and methods behind the Sense4us project, aimed to provide ICT tools supporting policy making through systematic gathering of heterogeneous online data to increase problem understanding and the general public’s opinions. The tools’ goal is to enable stakeholders within the political sphere to identify online available data concerning their policies.

In this paper we examine the promise and potential of inclusive innovation via the lens of the Botswana Speaks Parliamentary Initiative. More specifically we look at the future of eGovernance in light of new technological inroads made by mobile broadband connectivity and ICT infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors of this paper were both designers (in the sense that they co-created the platform with the policy makers and citizens in Botswana), as well as observers (in the sense that they researched and analysed the findings iteratively throughout the project evolution). The first section of the paper is dedicated to providing a contextual background for readers on the unique case of Botswana, discussing the relevance and capabilities of the platform, while situating the project within the broader partner-driven cooperation model of development. The next section of the paper outlines the methodology used internally within the project, as well as the tools employed for data collection and analysis. Finally the paper provides a critical discussion on the relevance, confidence, interoperability and innovation provided by interventions such as Botswana Speaks. From the lack of basic facilities such as clean drinking water, to concerns surrounding unemployment and land reform, we showcase via our data, how technologies are being innovatively appropriated to address core development issues. Do the policy makers respond more transparently and effectively with the aid of such tools? Are the voices being aired and expectations being raised with no real meaningful change to follow? In this paper we start a much needed discussion on the above questions and end with key lessons learnt and future directions for our research.