“Beyond the Static: Earth Observation Assisted Assessment and Monitoring of Ecosystem Health and Resilience in IFAD Project Areas” is a project led by World Agroforestry (ICRAF) and funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

This project has tailored a method of co-design from its initiation, lead by project staff and linked stakeholders in each country. The project facilitates stakeholder- and user-centered design of a ‘decision dashboard’ as a central location to view and interact with key information and data. The aim of the dashboard is to allow for the integration of evidence into decision-making processes at several scales, to assist in baseline assessments, targeting of interventions and monitoring of changes over time. The approach used in the project is focused on creating a platform for the development of dynamic interfaces to science-based evidence, integrating both social and ecological dimensions of ecosystem health. The methods and tools allow the dashboards to:

• conduct baseline assessments;

• assist in diagnostics of change and enable accurate tracking of indicators;

• support decision-makers with accessible evidence; and

• quantify ecosystem health in the project areas.

To inform policy processes and planning, research and information needs to be communicated effectively to key target audiences

A dashboard provides a central location as an online portal to store, view and interpret user-friendly and relevant data and information

Understanding the contextual decision making process to identify where information is used, where gaps exist, and how applicable accessing data through an online central location is

Co-design of the dashboards through the SHARED methodology from the outset integrates decision makers as core to the design and prototyping

Capacity building on different visualisations and formats for the intepretation of data

Power of visual access to data inspires a mind-set and operational changes in data management, creating a culture where data and evidence underpin decision making

Why co-designing information sharing platforms works

APPLY NG HUMAN-CENTERED DES GN METHODSIN USER CO-DESIGN OF DECISION

DASHBOARDS IN IFAD ASAP PROJECTS

Engagement process and learning from the IFAD Earth Observation project in Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho,

Eswatini and Uganda

The co-design approachPutting users at the centre of the design process

The decision dashboards are co-designed with users from the onset, ensuring that users of the dashboards are at the center of the design and implementation process from the conceptual stage.

This involves seeking to understand what questions decision makers are trying to answer and where data or information is needed, and then how we can collect,

organise and visualise data to answer some of these questions.

By having capacity development embedded from the outset, co-design includes data quality appraisal, scoping of data, and prioritising data specifically for the planning and decision making process.

Co-design allows for ownership from target decision makers of the dashboard and for functionality and visual aspects to be tailored to the audience.

ICRAF approach to building decision support dashboards

Wide scoping of potential users and engagement of

core stakeholders to outline use and design requirements

Multi-disciplinary team of scientists, including land health,

soil, gender and economists contribute to analysis. Lead data

scientists code and build the tools, data integration and visualisation

Scientists and tool development team

Target users

Run a structured engagement approach to understand context, user requirements and on-going user testing to feedback design

requirements

SHARED User Experience and behavioural science

specialists

Wide scoping of different stakeholders engaged in the topical area the decision dashboard is targetting

Context understanding on data use

Existing sources and data access methods

Definitions of key concepts

Baseline (stakeholders and context)

Clear target audience for the dashboards

Long-term dashboard host, e.g. a ministry or private sector

Users

Required level and desire for data management

Validate demand for decision support with stakeholders

Define aspirations for using a dashboard and data

Outline the benefits, core intended behaviour change and how intended changes will be tracked

Opportunities to use a decision support tool

Validation

Decision cycle and process and where data/evidence is useful

Capacity to interpret data and information

Quality and accessibility of data

Define how information is currently used and viability of technology application

Use patterns

Dashboard co-design framework

The co-design approach

Use patterns

Key focus for the dashboard

Functionality requirements

Theme and module structure

Landing page

Access credentials

Priority data

Data visualization

Ideate (content and functionality)

Focal teams are facilitated through testing of the functionality

Rapid iterations on design and functionality

Documenting and setting up a system for regular feedback on use and functionality

Adaptive integration of capacity development on interpretation and use

Prototype with users

Engage wider network of users and stakeholders

Drafting annual budget plan for maintenance, updating and core data analyst team

Training needs for interpreting data and information

Plan for institutional arrangements for hosting

Delivery Data management culture

Embed dashboard into decision processes through facilitated events

Host institution and sustainable funding source for dashboard maintenance

Establishment of a local user community that assesses metrics and data Dashboard co-design framework

Stakeholder engagement toolkit

STAKEHOLDERS

SOCIAL NETWORKS

Skype Bi-monthly meetings held on skype, with use of chat functionality if bandwidth does not allow for group

call settings

WhatsAppCountry-based design groups with regular communication and scheduled ‘chat’ times to

exchange messages, pictures of design ideas, meetings and give

iterative feedback

EmailUsed to send

regular updates and co-ordinate

meetings

Google FormsShort surveys sent to country teams

to collect feedback, includes use of multi-choice answers and

integration of graphics for tallying responses

on visualisation options and choice of modules

and themes

Observational testingObservational methods used in UX embedded

during stakeholder engagement sessions

Self ranking on data interpretation

Meeting materialsDesigning slide decks and facilitation plans

for country design team chairs to host

and run meeting

Capacity buildingCapacity building for user-based co-design

and integration of systematic feedback

Behaviour tracking using baseline surveys

Baseline surveys enacted at the stakeholder

workshop to understand user based perception and use the dashboard design User testing

User testing during first prototype using

consistent feedback tool, integrating observational

tests for navigation, interpretation and

answering key questions

STAKEHOLDERENGAGEMENT

SESSIONS

FACILITATED MEETINGS

SURVEY TOOLS

facilitated by

facilitated by

facilitated by

facilitated by

What have we learnt so farRecommendations on stakeholder engagement

Align any decision support system within

existing work plans for IT innovations, M&E tools and

Ministry-led initiatives

Get champions and co-design chairs in place to

lead the process from a project side

Direct messaging on WhatsApp to team

members to build relationships and social capital is really

important

Create an open dialogue and make everyone feel

part of the team

Get official protocols for data sharing addressed early

Building capacity for data visualisation

Building capacity to enhance the use and uptake of data visualisation systems

Applying user experience (UX) and behavioural science techniques in

dashboard design process

Training and technical support for data access, visualisation, interpretation

and application

Facilitation expertise to link trends, themes and sectors

Department of Land Resource Conservation

Deputy Director-Environmental conservation

and education.

Bar Charts; Line charts; Pie chart; Radar charts

Circular Area chart; Column histogram

• Data: Field-Land management data; Research publications

• Information: Research publications from other institutions via interment, books, journals

• Evidence: Research, direct field observations, other reliable sources such as newspapers, radios etc

1

2 but would still need training

K E Y: Institution Current sources of data/information

Types of data sources you would want to use (ranked 1-5)

Confidence in interpretation of data:

Unconfident Not very confident

Quite confident

Confident Very confident

Timeline and process

Pre-consultation interviews with each country focal team

Facilitated inception country Skype calls

Establishment of co-design teams

Google form surveys initiated to capture additional feedback and new stakeholders input on dashboard design

Presentation in countries of dashboard development to focal Ministries for long term sustainability of hosting

NOV 2017 - JUN 2018

FEB - MAR APR MAY JUN JUL - DEC

SEP - DEC

Regional Stakeholder workshops

Baseline surveys

2018

Setting up WhatsApp groups

KENYA

UGANDA

MALAWI

MALAWI

ESWATINI

Country co-design team hosting meetings using facilitation notes and slide decks to chair the meetings and capture feedback

Finalisation of country meetings and prototype dashboard design

Finalisation on first round of data gathering for prototype development

ICRAF Geoscience Lab to build first prototype of country dashboards

JAN - APR

2019

UGANDA

LESOTHO

ESWATINI

APR - SEPT

In partnership with development agencies looking at social-economic and human development progress, we have been building capacity with stakeholders, looking at trends - where both socio-economic and biophysical indicators and issues overlap. Building this kind of capacity at the project implementation level allows us to try and unpack the root cause of issue and target integrated solutions.

Understanding trends between biophysical and socio-economic indicators

Examples of capacity building during stakeholder workshops:

• What is the relationship between livestock and rangeland health?

• What is the link between land health and human nutrition and food security?

• Which agricultural activities best suit certain agri-ecological zones and land use?

• What is the impact of the agro-ecological zone on food security?

• What are the links between education and biodiversity?

• What is the relationship between tree cover and availability of energy?

What is the link between rangeland

health and livestock health?

Livestock numbers

and health

Rangeland

health

How much land is allocated

to tree cover?

Farm assets

Tree cover

TREND OR QUESTION TO UNDERSTAND

SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS

BIOPHYSICAL

For more information please get in touch with Tor-Gunnar Vågen, Head of the GeoScience Lab (t.vagen@cgiar.org), or Sabrina Chesterman from the SHARED

Decision Hub (shared@cgiar.org)

We have partnered with IFAD and the MPAT survey tool to host capacity building sessions, working with project stakeholders to understand:

• What aspects would be valuable to look at together?• Are they correlated?• What kind of trends are you interested to unpack across

biophysical and socio-economic areas?

THE LANDDEGREDATIONSURVEILLANCEFRAMEWORK

Land use

Nutrition

Food security

Agricultural production

Conservation

Land cover

Soil condition

Land degredation

Biodiversity

Social resilience

ECOSYSTEM HEALTH DIAGNOSTICS

Status, trends, phenology, etc.

Soil organic carbon, soil fertility, etc.

Compaction, erosion, flood risk, etc

Species diversity, species functional traits

Ecological resilience