Having graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Economics from Manchester Metropolitan University, I was interested in understanding more fully the linkages between the different aspects of sustainable development. Doing a Masters of Arts in Environmental Impact Assessment and Management at the University of Manchester helped me to realise that the economic imperative does not have to be the first priority in forming long-term sustainable strategies. The decision to read for a PhD was based on the well-established need for effective communication and participation in understanding ill-defined situations within the context of sustainable development. My research was driven by a vision to examine the problem of the complexity of real life situations, such as that of mega sport events.

The output of my PhD research is an integrated appraisal system, using soft systems thinking, based on fuzzy concepts, which can develop a deeper understanding of sustainable development. Sustainable development is an ambiguous goal rather than a measurable target. However, if current knowledge and the real concerns of the stakeholders involved/affected are not incorporated into the appraisal process, then just the experts’ views on what the future directions are or should be are unlikely to produce sustainable outcomes. One way of meeting this challenge is to transform the impact appraisal process, which in turn can improve multidisciplinary communication. Fuzzy cognitive mapping, as a soft systems methodology, can assist towards this direction by providing a common framework for different professions to work together effectively.