Difference between revisions of "Decisions"
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Revision as of 15:13, December 27, 2010
The Environmental Decision Making Cluster of the ESIP Federation
Chair: Ana Prados aprados@umbc.edu
Vice Chair: Chuck Hutchinson chuck@ag.arizona.edu
Telecons
The Decisions Cluster has regular telecons on the fourth Wednesday of every Month at 3 PM EST
- Next telecon: Wednesday, January 26th 2011, 3pm EST
- Dial: 800-508-7631
- Access Code: *1297219*
- Minutes of past telecons/meetings:
Cluster E-mail List
Winter 2011 ESIP Decisions Workshop
Introduction to Evaluation Workshop
From Insight to Impact: Managing YOUR Data Through Evaluation
Sponsored by the Decisions Cluster, this workshop covers evaluation basics and GEO as a Case Study for how to improve the value of ESIP member activities through evaluation. Does not require previous experience with project evaluation
Interventions and programs are implemented within complex environments that present challenges in evaluating efficiency and effectiveness and attributing outcomes and impact to specific actions. A general problem in evaluation efforts — and what often causes them to fall short of their intended objectives — is the failure to fully articulate a theory of change that includes the identification of critical mechanisms that support optimal outcomes; to select measureable objectives that are actionable, meaning that they are linked to practices that an organization can actually do something about; to incorporate diverse stakeholders including end-users; to craft the evaluation in terms of its role in data-driven decision-making; and, lastly to effectively communicate the return on investment in terms of not only cost, but human and social capital. This workshop will provide an interactive opportunity for participants to become more familiar with effective evaluation approaches that include a focus on crafting a theory of change that characterizes the outcome goal(s) and impact as well as identifying the mechanisms of change – moving from activity to results. Matching evaluation levels with the objectives to be achieved (e.g., linking gap analysis with theory of change, etc.) will be addressed, as well as optimizing the actionability of evaluation efforts. The workshop will examine performance measurement strategies that support actionable data. Data based decision-making, value-based issues, and practice-based evidence related to evaluation and monitoring (M & E) activities (process, outcome, and impact) will be emphasized. A case study approach, focusing on the work of the Group on Earth Observations will be used as an illustrative example of how members of the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners can better use evaluation tools to achieve outcomes and to optimize the impact of their work.
Resources
Upcoming Meetings
Past Meetings
- Summer 2010 ESIP Meeting
- Winter 2010 ESIP Meeting
- Fall 2009 AGU Environmental Decision Making session -
- Summer 2009 ESIP Environmental Decision Making Workshop
- Symposium on Scientific Data for Evidence Based Policy and Decision Making, Sept 24
- GEO request for advisors to join Decision Support teams
- Update. Here are the present Decision-making categories that one can register as their expertise. We can expand these, as needed:
- Decision Models
-Economic Analysis -Optimization -Multi-Criteria Analysis -Risk Assessment
- Decision Processes
-Assessment -Conservation Process Workflow -Landscape Change Model -NEPA -Policy -Public Comment
- End Use Applications
-Air Quality Planning -Energy Planning -Environmental Conservation -Regional Planning -Urban Planning -Water Planning
End Users and Decision Makers
- EPA
- Regional (state and local) regulators
- Environmental Justice Community
- World Bank
- Homeland Security
Use Cases and Success Stories
- coming soon
Decision Support Tools:
- coming soon
Funding Opportunities (current):
Funding Awards (past):
Web sites:
- NCAR Societal Impacts Program
- NOAA Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA)
- NOAA Economics Web Site
- CIRUN (Climate Information Responding to Users Needs - U. Maryland)
- IPCC
- Spatial Decision Support Knowledge Portal
Articles, Books, reports:
- The Emerging Science of Environmental Applications (Dozier and Gail)
- Uses and limitations of observations and data in decision support for selected sectors and regions
- Unscientific America - a quick and interesting read about barriers to communicating and using science information
About the Cluster
An important end use for Earth observational data is to support better informed decisions and policies in the commercial and public sectors. Observations (both real-time and historical) play an important role in reducing the uncertainty inherent in environmental-related decisions. Scientific models provide further value in predicting future states and scenarios, such as those associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions. This Cluster addresses topics such as:
- the economic value of Earth science data in decision settings;
- data requirements for environmental decisions, policies, and IPCC;
- decision making under deep environmental uncertainty;
- collaborative environments for assessing scenarios and consequences of decisions involving multiple stakeholders;
- case studies in environmental decision-making;
- integrated physical-economic models;
- perceptions of long-term climatic uncertainty;
- tools, services, models, and associated standards for data-driven decision support.
Chair- Ana Prados Vice-Chair- Chuck Hutchinson