On July 3, the EWUU alliance hosted an inspiring Lunch & Learn session exploring the potential of Digital Support Tools in the transition to a circular society. The interactive online event brought together researchers, educators, and professionals across disciplines to dive into the use of Decision Support Systems (DSS) and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM).

Did you miss the session? Take a look at the recording below:

Qi Han (TU/e) opened the session with an introduction to DSS and its relevance in supporting complex decision-making in multi-actor environments. Drawing on insights from a recent EWUU survey, she outlined various applications developed within the alliance—ranging from early-stage design and spatial planning to circular construction and regional coordination. She also reflected on key challenges, including usability, integration, and trust.

Negin Salimi (WUR) then introduced MCDM, and demonstrated how combining it with DSS can help overcome these challenges through co-creation, role-specific customization, and intuitive design. She provided a step-by-step walkthrough of the Best-Worst Method, offering participants a practical example of how to weigh and prioritize decisions in complex settings.

The session concluded with questions from the audience, where participants explored the value of merging DSS and MCDM to support more effective, transparent, and participatory decision-making processes in circularity-focused projects.