Phenomenological aspects of decision-making in managing heavy rainfall at the sharp end

Purpose The objective was to explore the judgment and decision-making in rainfall adaptation as experienced by the civil servants adapting to local climate-change vulnerabilities. Design/methodology/approach Eight civil servants in Swedish municipalities working with heavy rainfall adaptation were interviewed. The interviews were open-ended, and the interview data were used in descriptive phenomenological analysis. Findings The results revealed three key themes: (1) Complex decision-making, highlighting the handling of uncertainty; (2) reference points as inner compass, emphasizing the applying of appropriate strategies; and (3) overarching factors, including organizational and contextual influences. The main conclusion is that the municipal civil servants experience decision-making as a lived, situated and dynamic process that unfolds as intentional acts and is embedded in social, temporal and environmental contexts. This experience emerges from the interplay between felt uncertainty and the structuring of an imagined “safe city” emotionally invested in. Limited frontline experience, societal norms resistant to climate action, ambiguous adaptation objectives and organizational insufficiencies can undermine the quality of the decision-making process. Originality/value This study emphasizes important decision factors or processes in the dynamic handling of heavy rainfall at the frontline, which may contribute to risk management, public administration and resilience by furthering climate adaptation efforts.