Environmental Review with Hypermedia Systems

The implementation of a hypermedia system to support environmental review is explored. The system (1) organizes information such as renderings, documents, and the output of analytic tools in an associative form; (2) provides facilities for the ‘real-time’ annotation of maps with text, graphics, audio, and/or video; and (3) aids the representation of normally quantitative information by using descriptive images such as digital motion video and sound. The system is typically used in the context of group meeting situations. The primary case examined in this paper is an implementation to support the exploration of reuse scenarios for an Air Force Base near Rantoul, Illinois. In addition to a review of the information types typically used in planning meetings, the paper contains a discussion of how this information is communicated and whether the technology meaningfully changes the process. Steps to enhance user acceptance of the technology are also discussed.