SEEING IS BELIEVING
Leading Chinese university to build its own Decision Theater

An eight-person delegation from Huazhong University of Science and Technology recently spent two days visiting ASU's Decision Theater, an interactive 3-D immersive environment that allows individuals to see a detailed representation of the consequences of behavior, decisions and policy. They traveled from Wuhan, China, to see firsthand how the Decision Theater is organized and equipped to help decision-makers address public policy issues.

The delegation received in-depth briefings on the theater's visualization, simulation, modeling, and collaboration tools. They heard from a variety of experts about everything from strategic planning and project management, to visualization technology and group intelligence software. They also met with two Decision Theater clients representing public and private sectors.

Xu Xiaolin, the delegation leader and the Chinese university's dean of the College of Public Administration, says he's impressed with what he saw and heard during the visit. He particularly notes the value of the Decision Theater in helping to address a host of urban growth challenges.

"This enables cities to be managed better," Xiaolin says. "It offers a more scientific approach to managing a city. it gives more people a voice regardless of where they may live," referring to the power of digital technology as a planning and participation resource.

The dean believes his university will have its version of a Decision Theater up and running within a year. He foresees continued strong collaboration with ASU.

Initial discussions about a Decision Theater being built in China began more than a year ago and have included ASU President Michael Crow and other senior ASU officials. Rick Shangraw, the Decision Theater's executive director and ASU's vice president for research and economic affairs, visited several Chinese universities in May.

The delegation's visit to ASU concluded with the signing of a joint memorandum of understanding between the Decision Theater and Huazhong University of Science and Technology's College of Public Administration.