Name: Diagramming Tools
Reference: IUCN/SSC (2008). Strategic Planning for Species Conservation: A Handbook. Version 1.0. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN Species Survival Commission. http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/scshandbook_2_12_08_compressed.pdf
Conservation Measures Partnership (2007) Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation. Version 2.0. www.conservationmeasures.org.
Clemen, R.T., and R. Reilly (Eds.). 2001. Making Hard Decisions with Decision Tools. Boston, MA: South-western College Publishing.
Jones, Morgan D. (1995). The Thinker’s Toolkit: 14 Powerful Techniques for Problem Solving. Three Rivers Press, New York, NY.
Conservation planning step(s) when this would be used: These tools can be used to assist the Plan Actions step of the process, by helping to build a shared understanding of the system of interest, and of the likely impact of specific actions or strategies on it.
Description of tool use: Influence Diagrams, Problem Trees, Decision Trees, Causal Flow Diagrams, and Results Chains all illustrate a given issue or proposed decision in a way that facilitates greater understanding, and a greater appreciation of the alternative outcomes of a set of possible solutions.
Experience and expertise required to use the tool: This covers a large range of tools, many of which are easy to grasp and can be used without specialist expertise.
Data requirements: This varies but tools are generally adaptable to data poor situations whilst others are specifically designed to deal with uncertainty.
Cost: Generally low cost or FREE, though there are some more sophisticated software packages that are more expensive.
Strengths and weaknesses, when to use and interpret with caution: These tools are generally straight forward and instructions for using them are readily available. They are particularly useful for dissecting out, and making transparent, the elements of situations about which there are many different perspectives.
Case study: Briggler, J., J. Utrup, C. Davidson, J. Humphries, J. Groves, T. Johnson, J. Ettling, M. Wanner, K. Traylor-Holzer, D. Reed, V. Lindgren, O. Byers (eds.). 2007. Hellbender Population and Habitat Viability Assessment: Final Report. IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Apple Valley, MN.
Case studies can be found at https://www.miradishare.org/ and at www.rare.org (multiple languages/organizations available).
Back to Abruzzi Table 1.
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Contributor(s): Onnie Byers
Affiliation: CBSG
Email: onnie@cbsg.org
Date: 12 February 2012