Thomas Huggins

Doctor of Philosophy, (Arts)
Study Completed: 2016
College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Citation

Thesis Title
Optimising Visual Solutions for Complex Strategic Scenarios

Read article at Massey Research Online: MRO icon

Attempts to pre-emptively improve post-disaster outcomes need to reflect an improved understanding of adaptations in the way collaborating researchers and practitioners make decisions together. Mr Huggins proposed that a visual logic model diagram, using boxes and arrows linking activities and downstream objectives, could support effective decisions regarding pre-emptive community resilience interventions. His research comprised of three phases. Firstly he used Q-methodology to identify strong patterns of opinions among relevant collaborators concerning diagram construction. The second phase involved building the diagram before analysing contributors' accounts of diagram development. Lastly, he experimentally tested whether the diagram produced could stimulate higher quality decisions, compared with a conventional chart of key performance metrics. His research findings indicate that certain diagram formats help support collaborative efforts to improve community resilience particularly when a visual outcomes model forms a component of efficient thinking dynamics shared within a network of decision making agents.

Supervisors
Associate Professor Robin Peace
Dr Alicia Cuevas
Associate Professor Stephen Hill
Professor David Johnston