Introduction to the Human Scale Development Methodology Improved by Bucciarelli-Alessi's Innovative Methodological Procedure

Abstract

The present work represents an effort to improve and innovate Manfred Max-Neef’s Human Scale Development methodology. More specifically, the innovative aspects conceived and applied by the authors concern: 1) the creation of an original procedure (question - discussion - key words - definition of the key words) to be followed in order to fill in the grids of the Consolidated Negative Matrix, of the Consolidated Positive Matrix, of the Negative Synthesis Matrix, and of the Positive Synthesis Matrix; 2) the addiction of the axiological category of sustainability to the traditional following nine categories: subsistence, protection, affection, understanding, participation, idleness, creation, identity and freedom. In particular, concerning the point No. 1, it is important to stress that the original procedure here presented to fill in the grids of the Matrixes makes the innovative Human Scale Development methodology able to be used a) for getting comparable data, b) for developing a new index for measuring social well-being as well as the efficiency of local social policies, and c) for introducing the Human Scale Development into the scientific fields of the Experimental Economics (field experiments) and of Agent-based computational Economics (ACE). Finally, this work represents a practical tool to be used both to explain how the Human Scale Development methodology works, and to teach the seminar coordinators about how to conducting the workshops based on the Human Scale Development itself.