The Challenge of Complexity: Decision Theater™

Wednesday 11 Jun 2025, 11:00 → 16:05 Europe/Berlin

1 (KUBUS Saal 1 CD)

The Arizona State University (ASU) Decision Theater ™ in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology is an essential method at the interface of science and society in the Anthropocene. With the Decision Theater™ we explore how data-driven models and interactive simulations can inform responses to complex societal and environmental challenges. Developed by Arizona State University, the Decision Theater is a cutting-edge method that integrates big data, complex systems modeling, and participatory stakeholder engagement. By visualizing the interplay of human and natural systems, the Decision Theater fosters creative feedback and supports informed, inclusive decision-making. This approach enables researchers, policymakers, and the public to jointly explore the consequences of policy choices in areas where there are no simple answers—an essential capability in the Anthropocene.

11:00 → 13:00 Session: 1

11:00 Part A

(a) A presentation of the Decision Theater methodology and an in-depth look at current use cases, including water scarcity scenarios in Phoenix and Berlin, models for improving education in multilingual and migrant communities, and strategies for regional economic transformation, with a focus on the Lausitz coal transition.

12:00 Part B

(b) A participatory discussion with all attendees to co-develop ideas for future use cases, especially in the environmental research domain: we aim to explore how the Decision Theater™ can support collaborative scenario-building and systems thinking in areas such as climate adaptation, biodiversity policy, and land-use transformation.

13:00 → 14:00 Break

14:00 → 16:00 Session: Session 2

14:00 Part A

(a) A presentation of the Decision Theater methodology and an in-depth look at current use cases, including water scarcity scenarios in Phoenix and Berlin, models for improving education in multilingual and migrant communities, and strategies for regional economic transformation, with a focus on the Lausitz coal transition.

15:00 Part B

(b) A participatory discussion with all attendees to co-develop ideas for future use cases, especially in the environmental research domain: we aim to explore how the Decision Theater™ can support collaborative scenario-building and systems thinking in areas such as climate adaptation, biodiversity policy, and land-use transformation.