“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 ([email protected]), or Sabrina Chesterman from the SHARED
Decision Hub ([email protected])
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