(iv) Complex, invisible, quick back-end model. To facilitate the integration of
AgFutures with GB-QUEST, a back-end model design is adopted where the actual model
or algorithm works in the background to generate user-desired scenarios, and only the final
relevant outputs are presented to the users. Although the issues and consequences are
presented in a broad manner, the underlying model is based on a complex web of
interactions that describe the relationships between choices and consequences. It uses
sophisticated techniques for generation of ‘what-if’ scenarios of land-use changes and
impact assessment related to social, economic and environmental consequences. Much of
the modeling work was done in the ‘pre-model’ stage (e.g. statistical equations, decisions
on weights used for land suitability, coefficients in indicator models) in order to reduce the
need for run-time calculations, allowing for the rapid generation of future scenarios in a
real-time setting. User choices change the value of key variables in these algorithms to
allow for the generation of ‘desired’ scenarios quickly.