Use of E-Participation Tools for Support of Policy Modelling at Regional Level

This paper describes application-specific and technology specifications related to ICT-based approach for the support of policy modelling as proposed in the EU funded FP7 ICT OCOPOMO project. In this particular approach strategic planning is supported by a combination of narrative scenarios, agent-based modelling, and e-Participation tools (all integrated via an ICT e-Governance platform). The policy model for a given domain is created iteratively using cooperation of several stakeholder groups (decision makers, analysts, companies, civic society, and the general public). In this paper we will provide principles and key concepts of collaborative policy modelling, but the main focus is on the discussion of high-level architecture of ICT tools and software components, envisioned platform functionality and preliminary view of detailed architecture and technological details for implementation and integration of software components. An overall approach is presented also from the view of a particular pilot application, built around development of a strategy of renewable energy use. The process of development of a new strategy is described using standard BPMN. The process models correspond to AS-IS and TO-BE (i.e. after incorporation of scenario generation and policy modelling) situations.