Article In: scopus

Advancing the practice of Decision Conferencing in the digital age: insights from a qualitative study with OR practitioners

Journal of the Operational Research Society

Mascarenhas E.; Oliveira M.D. — 2025 — Journal of the Operational Research Society

Key information

Authors:

Mascarenhas E. (Edgar Mascarenhas); Oliveira M.D. (Mónica Duarte Correia de Oliveira)

Published in

March 24, 2025

Abstract

Complex multi-actor decision contexts often benefit from facilitated modelling (FM) approaches, wherein the operational researcher (OR) acts as both analyst and facilitator, guiding the client through the entire OR intervention. Conducting an FM intervention is complex, involving managing participants’ interactions and group dynamics, structuring process tasks, and mastering the use of several artefacts (e.g. notes, model, technology), either in-person or in virtual environments. Literature on facilitation in OR is quite limited, focusing mainly on specific contexts and case studies, and lacking generalisable insights for FM practice. This paper aims to advance the understanding of Decision Conferencing (DCing)—an FM approach that makes use of decision analysis concepts, methods, and tools—through an analysis of reflexive accounts from OR practitioners to identify practices, trends, challenges, and opportunities in both traditional (in-person) and virtual settings. We conducted semi-structured interviews with nineteen OR practitioners (from academia and industry) with experience in DCing facilitation, which were consented, recorded, transcribed, coded, and analysed using reflective thematic analysis. Our findings contribute to the existing FM literature by providing first-hand accounts of OR practitioner experiences and offer insights for advancing DCing and FM research, practice, and training.

Publication details

Authors in the community:

Publication version

AO - Author's Original

Publisher

Journal of the Operational Research Society

Title of the publication container

Journal of the Operational Research Society

First page or article number

1

Last page

19

Volume

76

Issue

12

DOI

10.1080/01605682.2025.2481086

Fields of Science and Technology (FOS)

economics-and-business - Economics and business

Keywords

  • Decision Conferencing
  • facilitated decision analysis
  • facilitated modelling
  • group decision-making
  • facilitation
  • practice of OR

Publication language (ISO code)

eng - English

Rights type:

Only metadata available

Financing entity

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Identifier for the funding entity: PTDC/EGE-OGE/29699/2017