FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Here PoMM Users find a collection of common questions and answers about a specific topics, designed to provide quick and helpful information.

What is the objective of the Policy-Making Module (PoMM)?

The PoMM enables users to analyze the impact of policy changes related to Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for mitigating Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in urban runoff, supporting decision-makers in devising the most effective interventions.

(Module Overview → Purpose of the Policy Making Module)

Who is PoMM intended for?

It’s designed for policymakers and rule-makers (at town, province, regional levels), administrative agents, politicians, planners, and scientists involved in NBS policy formation.

(Module Overview → Who is the PoMM intended for)

What are PoMM’s key functionalities?

1. Knowledge representation (terminology service, case information, experiment guidelines)
2. Policy/decision case definition (BPMN-based mapping of procedures, NUTS/NBS/CEC assignment)
3. Questioning, analysis & reporting (experiment design, output analysis, reporting tools)

(Module Overview → Key functionalities)

How do I access PoMM?

Log in to the AI-DSS Platform, click the PoMM link in the side menu, then accept the module-specific privacy policy.

(Module Overview → How to access the PoMM)

What are the recommended system requirements?

64-bit Windows 11/macOS Ventura/latest Linux, quad-core CPU, ≥8 GB RAM, 1080p+ display, Chrome/Firefox latest.

(Module Overview → User System / Device requirements)

Does PoMM store my session data?

No-nothing (uploads, configurations, models, reports) is saved beyond the active session; users must download and securely save outputs.

(A matter of privacy)

What should I avoid doing in my browser?

Do not use the browser’s back/forward buttons inside PoMM. Always use the interface’s navigation links to prevent session loss.

(A matter of privacy)

What are the main navigation buttons?

1. Start New Session: begin from scratch
2. Restore Session: resume a saved session
3. Process Templates: start with a pre-configured survey
4. Agents Simulation: launch ABM experiments
5. Thesaurus & Vocabulary: browse definitions
6. Help & User’s Guide: access documentation

(Strike the right button)

What is the brief flow of operations?

1. Describe case under study
2. Define intervention
3. Analyze experiment outcomes
4. Document & share results
5. Overcome doubts via terminology aids

(Brief flow of operations)

Which modelling approaches does PoMM support?

• Network modelling: maps variable relationships in procedural decision processes
• Agent-based modelling (ABM): simulates interactions of actors (agents) to explore emergent behaviour

(Module Overview → Difference between network modelling and agent-based modelling)

How do I outline my case under study (network modelling)?

Start a new session, then follow the guided steps: define geography, select NBS & CECs, map the process in BPMN, annotate entities, and checkpoint.

(Policy / decision case definition)

How do I define geographic boundaries?

Select NUTS 1/2/3 or LAU levels on the map interface, zoom and click to choose your area, then confirm.

(Outline the case under study → Defining the geographic boundaries)

How do I select a Natural-Based Solution (NBS)?

From a drop-down of NBS options (populated from the AI platform’s solution library), choose and confirm, then review its description.

(Outline the case under study → Select the targeted Natural based solution)

How do I select Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs)?

Pick a CEC family (or refine by compound/CAS) from the drop-down, confirm, then optionally add notes in the unity-of-analysis dialogue.

(Outline the case under study → Choose the targeted Contaminants of emerging concern)

Can I add notes to my unit of analysis?

Yes—after selecting NUTS, NBS, CECs you can leave or edit the proposed text to record comments that feed into your reports.

(Outline the case under study → Write notes)

How do I document the current decision workflow?

Use the built-in BPMN interface to draw or upload a .bpmn file depicting your process flow with tasks, events, and message flows.

(Outline the case under study → Define the actual decision workflow diagram)

What if I already have a BPMN diagram?

Drag-and-drop your .bpmn file into the interface (if compatible) to load and then modify it within PoMM.

(Outline the case under study → Upload existing BPMN)

What are process templates and how do I use them?

Choose “Process Templates” at session start, answer a short survey (policy issue, action type, decision framework), and PoMM preloads a tailored BPMN.

(Outline the case under study →Process template selection)

How do I annotate BPMN entities with variables?

Hover over a task/entity, click the annotation tool, and enter a variable name in square brackets these annotations drive later simulation.

(Outline the case under study →Annotate an entity of your process)

How do I select which entities are analyzed?

After annotation, click “Next” to view clickable nodes on a map or drop-down; select (turns red) the variables you want in your simulation.

(Outline the case under study →Identify the most important entities for the decision workflow)

What are Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) in PoMM?

FCMs represent your annotated BPMN variables as nodes with weighted causal links (–1 to +1), allowing “what-if” scenario simulations.

(Design the Experiments → FCM introduction)

How do I build and run an FCM experiment?

1. Load annotated nodes (Load button)
2. Drag/drop nodes onto the canvas
3. Draw arrows to link concepts, set weights via the “?” icon
4. Save the FCM map
5. Initialize starting activations and submit for simulation

(Implementation of policy and decision-making experiments (procedural view) → Design & Run the experiment(s) Procedural view)

How do I interpret FCM results?

Results show equilibrium values per concept in a table and graph; focus on your target node’s change from baseline to assess intervention impact.

(Implementation of policy and decision-making experiments (procedural view) → Result of intervention comparison)

How do I launch the agent-based model (ABM)?

From the main menu select “Agents simulation,” which opens the NetLogo Web interface with the default urban NBS adoption model.

(Bottom-up modelling (agent based) of the case → Agent Simulation feature)

How do I set up and run the ABM baseline?

Click setup to initialize agents/environment, then go (stepwise) or go-forever to run the model, observing monitors and plots.

(Outline the case for ABM exploration → How to use it → ABM setup & run)

Which interface controls adjust ABM parameters?

1. Sliders: flood/pollution frequency & intensity, numbers of agents, sensitivities
2. Switches: inequality distribution
3. Buttons: setup, go, go-forever

(Outline the case for ABM exploration →ABM Interface: sliders, switches, buttons)

What outputs does the ABM provide?

Monitors (NBS count, avg risk, sentiment, contamination) and plots (risk exposure, sentiment, contamination, PA attributes), plus spatial grid view.

(Outline the case for ABM exploration→ABM Interface: Monitors & Plots)

What are good practices for ABM experiments?

1. Define your objective & hypothesis
2. Choose observables
3. Run multiple baseline & intervention runs
4. Use statistical tests for significance
5. Compare distributions and trends

(Running ABM experiments: good practices)

How do I document and report procedural (FCM) experiments?

Use the provided Final Report Index template, detailing experiment ID, questions, BPMN/FCM setup, parameters, results, interpretation, and next steps.

(Documenting & reporting → An index to document decision-making experiments)

How do I document and report ABM experiments?

Follow the ABM report index, listing experiment context, model version, parameter settings (sliders/switches), seeds, runs, outputs, analysis, and limitations.

(Documenting & reporting → An index to document and report PoMM ABM experiments)

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