A boundary object for scale selection-Moderating differences and synergising understanding

Lack of attention to scale selection may limit the utility of multidisciplinary assessments and studies. This paper integrates research on scale from several disciplines to identify commonalities. Boundary objects – flexible enough to appeal and apply to different interest groups, and yet robust enough to maintain core concepts – offer a medium to connect findings from different disciplines. We propose a boundary object on scale — a 3-dimensional framework, whose axes are reality-, model- and data-scale. This framework can be applied to facilitate an improved transdisciplinary understanding of scale and more conscious scale selection that promotes the credibility, salience and legitimacy of decision support systems.