“When Models Step Out of the Computer”
On 20 February 2026, Francesca and Echo (UG) hosted a Participatory Modelling Workshop in Novara, Italy, together with colleagues from CRIMEDIM. The Agent Based Model (ABM) on public compliance during health crises was presented directly to policymakers, healthcare professionals, and representatives of vulnerable groups. This workshop marked an important shift: from modelling society at a distance to modelling with those who shape and experience it.
Rather than simply “showing results,” this workshop opened the space for dialogue:
• Do the assumptions of the model reflect real-world decision-making?
• Which crisis scenarios should be simulated next?
• What unintended consequences should policymakers be aware of?
The discussions were intense, thoughtful, and refreshingly honest. Many participants had never encountered agent-based modelling before. Yet within minutes, they were discussing social networks, trust dynamics, and “what-if” policy scenarios as if they had been working with simulations for years.
Pages of notes, new research questions, and, perhaps most importantly, renewed motivation were received. Some participant even reached out afterward to explore further collaboration. That alone made the effort worthwhile.
Grateful to everyone who contributed, challenged, and helped move the project forward.
📸 Photos from the event below
German 
English 
Italian 
Romanian