
DECIDE - Decoding Cities for Informed Decision Making
Communications & Data
DECIDE-DSS Prototype Github Page:
https://github.com/AltafiniD/DECIDE-DSS-Prototype
DECIDE-DSS Prototype Video Demonstration:

Communication is a key aspect of decision support in urban studies, as we often interface with stakeholders with diverse backgrounds, agendas, and expertise. Models that support urban decisional processes must display actionable information, meaning being focused on accessibility, clarity, and sufficiency, rather than complexity, aiming to answer specific questions and inform outcomes.
DECIDE-DSS is a prototype web-based application that follows the principles of universal design and outcome-driven decision-support strategies. It enables the visualisation of different layers of geospatial data and provides straightforward interpretation through essential KPIs and narrative functions. Its objective is to provide clear communication of the models’ outcomes to diverse stakeholders. The demonstration of the prototype provides analysis of Cardiff, in the United Kingdom; however, it is flexible enough to be used in any urban context.
The DSS aims to have two interchangeable versions:
- A simple version, focused on communication and oriented to universal use.
- An advanced/expert version, capable of natively performing more complex analysis and data processing, focused on urban analytics experts.
- Interactive 3D map with customisable view modes.
- Multi-Layer Data Visualisation: toggle and overlay various datasets, including:
- Road network
- Building footprints
- Neighbourhood boundaries
- Population density
- Land use
- Flood hazard zones
- Sea-bound hazard
- River-bound hazard
- Surface water and watercourses hazard
- Road network analysis
- Flood risk analysis
- Roads at risk
- Buildings at risk
- Antisocial Behaviour
- Crimes – Points and Hexmap
- Stop & Search – Points and Hexmap*
- Data filtering functionality
- Interactive Widgets Panel: dynamically updating graphs and KPIs that update based on selected data.
- Custom Data Upload: user-uploaded GeoJSON files can be used within the app.
- Customisable start screen and dashboard.*
- Customisable chart and graphical options.*
- Data sharing and report generator functionalities via a link or a PDF.*
- Narrative AI Function*: provides the user with advice about the currently selected data and filter range. – Basic narrative function available.
- Colour-coded “rating system” for performance metrics.*
- Advanced analytics workspace for expert users.**
- Scenario analysis & trends.**
- Predictive modelling capabilities.**
- Centralised data repository.**
*
indicates a feature partially implemented and/or to be fully implemented in the future.
**
indicates a feature to be implemented in the future advanced/expert version.
- Backend & Frontend: Dash Flask
- Mapping: PyDeck
- Data Manipulation: Pandas & Shapely
- Charting: Plotly Express
Zenodo Open Access Publications:
Altafini, D. (2025) DECIDE DSS – Sample Dataset for Demonstration, (V1.0) Zeonodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17105940.
Altafini, D. (2024). Configurational Analyses of post-disaster scenarios for the Porto Alegre Metropolitan Area Floodings (V1.0). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14145025
Altafini, D; Pezzica, C; Bleil de Souza, C; Dalcin, A; Marques, G. (2024) Porto Alegre’s Metropolitan Region Road Circulation Network Vulnerability Analysis – Floods of 2024. (V1.1) [Technical Note]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11486082
Altafini, D; Pezzica, C; Bleil de Souza, C; Dalcin, A; Marques, G. (2024) Communication – Immediate Actions: Road-Network Accesses Preservation Porto Alegre and its Metropolitan Region Vulnerability Analysis – May 2024 Floodings [Technical Note]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11489616
Altafini, D. (2024). How Porto Alegre’s Metropolitan Road Network Coped with the Floodings? [presentation]. Zenodo. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.11490520