We need to talk: The importance of communication in model development and use

Abstract

: Have you ever planned, built, run or applied a model on a project without, at some point, being frustrated that someone (or several people, or entire organisations) just didn’t ‘get it’? I’m yet to encounter such a situation or hear from the community of such an occurrence. Whilst my experiences relate to the fields of environmental science and water resources, issues around communication in modelling are agnostic to the technical field. I’ve also observed that these frustrations carry through the entire process and are experienced by all parties involved. Further, these difficulties add complexity, time and stress to the process, and can throw up genuine barriers to sufficient scoping in the early stages through to mistrust or inappropriate adoptions or interpretations in later stages. Where is it going wrong? Why with increased understanding and focus does it continue to go wrong? How can we course correct? There are elements within the control of this community, but how do we influence other stakeholders to come to the communication party? Water modelling best practice commonly referred to in Australia (Jakeman