The social side of spatial decision support systems : Investigating knowledge integration and learning

•SDSS are step forward in efforts to account for the spatial dimension in environmental decision-making.•We apply ideas from science-policy studies to investigate knowledge integration and learning across SDSS literature.•We undertook a configurative review and analysed a sample of 36 scientific peer-reviewed publications.•Papers report in different ways on knowledge integration and learning.•We found a lack of approaches applied in support to collaboration and communication between stakeholders involved.