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12 Participatory Approaches 255

model, hence models including the representation of dynamics. We consider here
potential interactions among participatory and modelling processes at all stages
of the modelling process: conceptual design, implementation, use and simulation
outcome analysis.
The first section of this chapter outlines a number of factors which have paved the
way for development of the association between social simulation and participation.
There is a large body of literature in which authors have developed their own
participatory modelling approaches, justified by some specific expectations on
participation for modelling or vice versa. This first section makes a synthesis of
these expectations and draws out some principles on which various participatory
modelling settings should be assessed. The second section describes some existing
techniques and approaches. The third section proposes a classification of these
participatory approaches according to three dimensions: the level of involvement
in the process, the timeliness of involvement and the heterogeneity of population
involved. The fourth section describes two case studies with a focus on the
integration of various techniques. We discuss the advantages of these approaches
but also some limits, according to the expectations and in comparison with more
traditional techniques in the fifth section.

12.2 Expectations of Using Participatory Approaches
with Simulation of Social Complexity

Joint use of participatory approaches with social simulations is based upon three
categories of expectations. They vary according to the target of the expected benefits
of the association:
1. Quality of the simulation model per se
2. Suitability of the simulation model for a given use
3. Participation support
These three targets are linked to three different components of a modelling
process. Target one is linked to the output, target three to the source system, and
target two to the relation between both the output and source system. In this section
we further develop these three categories.

12.2.1 Increasing Quality of Simulation Models of Social
Complexity

The objective here is to produce a good quality model to simulate social complexity.
Participation is then pragmatically assumed to be a means for improving this quality.
There is no normative belief which would value participation by itself in this
category of expectations.