Group decision support using Toulmin argument structures

This paper addresses the need for sound science, technology, and management assessment related to environmental policy decision making through an approach that involves a logical structure for evidence, a framed decision making process, and an environment that encourages group participation. Toulmin based logic possesses these characteristics and is used as the basis for development of a group decision support system. This system can potentially support several user groups, such as pesticide policy making experts who can use the support system to state arguments in support of or against an important policy issue and pest management experts who can use the system to assist in the identification and evaluation of alternative for controlling the pest on agricultural commodities. The resulting decision support system assists in improving the clarity of the lines of reasoning used in specific situations, the warrants, grounds, and backings that are used to support claims and specific lines of reasoning and the contradictions, rebuttals, and arguments surrounding each step in the reasoning process associated with evaluation of a claim or counterclaim. Though this, experts and decision makers with differing views can better understand each other's thought processes. The net effect of this is enhanced communication and understanding of the whole picture and, in many cases consensus on decisions to be taken.