General assessment framework

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See also: Conceptual Model of Assessment Framework (D5, Draft May 2007)

File:Context Process and Product.ANA

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Context of policy (universal)

Kind of physical and social environment in which societal decision-making takes place. This object contains the common properties of all possible contexts of policies.

Context of policy

The physical and social environment in which a particular societal decision-making situation takes place.

Context of science (universal)

Scientific information and understanding from all disciplines, including natural sciences, health sciences, environmental sciences, and economy. This object contains the common properties of all scientific contexts in different cultures and at different times.

Context of science

Scientific information and understaning from all disciplines, including natural sciences, health sciences, environmental sciences, and economy. This object contains the current scientific context in the western culture.

Product objects

Assessment (universal)

Kind of a formal description of available information that intends to help societal decision-making. This object contains the common properties shared by all assessments.

Assessment

A formal description of available information that intends to help societal decision-making in a particular situation. The assessment has a particular format that is common to this type of assessments. In practice, the format of an assessment depends on the available assessment frameworks. However, it is important to notice that the needs of the assessment drives the contents of the framework and not vice versa. If a proper framework for a particular assessment does not exist, it must be developed.

Variable

Kind of description of a particular piece of reality within an assessment. This object contains the common properties of all variables.

Variable

Description of a particular piece of reality within an assessment. A variable can be e.g.. about

• pollutant emission of a particular source
• exposure concentration of a pollutant in a particular population
• dose-response of a particular chemical in humans
• value judgement about the acceptability of a particular health outcome.

Class (universal)

Class is a particular kind of set. It describes some particular properties, and all objects that share all these properties belong to the class as items.

Class

Class is a particular kind of set. It describes some particular properties, and all objects that share all these properties belong to the class as items. Examples of classes are e.g.

• Steps in the full chain of the Intarese method: emission variables are items of the class Emissions.

Process objects

Assessment framework (universal)

a kind of a process that leads to the production of assessments. This contains the common properties of all possible assessment processes. The discussion about which assessment framework should be used in which kind of situations belongs into this object.

Assessment framework

A process that leads to the production of an assessment. The selection of an actual assessment framework depends on both the universal assessment framework and the particular assessment (product) that is to be produced. Examples of assessment methods include

• traditional risk assessment framework (RA)
• health impact assessment framework (HIA)
• benefit-cost analysis framework (BCA) or cost-benefit analysis framework (CBA) R↻
• cost effectiveness analysis framework (CEA)
• open assessment framework (OPAS)
• impact pathway approach (e.g. in ExternE)
• Intarese assessment framework.

Assessment method (universal)

Kind of processes that facilitate or enable manipulation of information into a more useful form in an assessment. This object contains the common properties of all possible assessment methods.

Assessment method

A process that facilitate or enable manipulation of information into a more useful form in an assessment. Examples of assessment methods include, to mention a few,

• Monte Carlo methods for propagating uncertainty
• expert elicitation methods to obtain data when measurements are unavailable
• meta-analytic methods for combining studies in a systematic way
• exposure assessment methods such as intake fraction to estimate exposures given an emission.

Assessment tool (universal)

Kind of a practical application (such as computer software or formula) that allows the user of a method to apply it in an easy and efficient way.

Assessment tool

A practical application (such as computer software or formula) that allows the user of a method to apply it in an easy and efficient way. Possible assessment tools are

• a DALY calculator
• a life table calculator
• Monte Carlo software (such as Analytica)
• Expoplatform for finding exposure data