User guide to the evidence-to-decision tool.
Abstract
The Evidence-to-Decision tool has been co-designed between the Conservation Evidence group and practitioners from several organisations to help guide practitioners through the process of making an evidence-based decision. The tool is structured to help you consider and combine several forms of evidence (e.g., scientific evidence, tacit knowledge, values, costs) to reach a transparent decision, documenting each stage of the process so that the logic and reasoning behind decisions can be open and traceable. The tool is structured using three steps : (1) Define the Decision Context (i.e., What is the problem you want to solve?); (2) Gather Evidence (i.e., What actions are likely to be the most effective to address my problem in my local context?); (3) Make an Evidence-Based Decision (i.e., What are the next steps? Which actions will be implemented based on the evidence you have assessed?). This tool is best suited for use by individual landowners, reserve managers, and small NGOs working on specific projects to come to an evidence-based decision for a specific problem. The tool was designed to streamline an evidence-based decision-making process with limited time and resources.