Coastal Development User/Audience Definition Document
This document was originally discussed and revised during a 8/27/07 Coastal Development Subcommittee conference call. The document is currently still in revision.
Coastal Development Indicator Audience
*3rd Revision:Possible end user/audience for coastal development indicators in the Gulf of Maine
Date: September 28, 2007
Background – This group is trying to communicate the effects of the coastal development phenomenon on the Gulf of Maine (watershed, coastal, and near-coastal) through environmental, economic, and social indicators. The Tides of Change report focused on patterns of development, contamination from coastal development, impervious surface impacts on water quality, habitat degradation, climate change, and human responses (restoration, conservation, protection). In the Tides of Change, a need for quantifiable measures was noted.
This begs the question – WHO are we trying to communicate with and what do we want them to do when they have our information?
Coastal Manager
Who is this user? This user might be involved in air, land, or water quality permitting/licensing and enforcement. They could work on land use planning issues, provide technical assistance to regional and local organizations on planning, zoning and land conservation. Coastal managers might also be part of fisheries and wildlife planning and management. They might work for government (e.g. federal, provincial, state, county regional, or municipal), non-profits (e.g. conservation commissions, regional planning agencies, etc), or for profit businesses (e.g. consulting firms, etc).
Typically looking at what scale of information? Typically site specific/local. May also require regional trends data.
What type of data are they looking for? Possibly environmental, land use, and/or demographic, economic, population type data.
What decisions does a coastal manager make? They make decisions about current and future land use through planning, land protection (e.g. acquisition, easements, etc), and regulation (e.g., permits, etc). They are also presenting information for others to make decisions.
Will they want raw data or synthesized data for these answers? Possibly both.
Normally accesses information through what avenues?
Is it realistic for this user to be defined as one of the primary users for GOMC indicators? From a management perspective, indicators should be part of the management process and not an end in themselves. Indicators might serve as an early warning sign and underpin education and outreach initiatives.
Decision Maker
Who is this user? Decision makers are concerned with the environmental, social, and economic status of the Gulf of Maine. They consist of mid-level and higher elected officials (e.g. legislators, local officials, etc), government employees (e.g. agency commissioners, directors, senior level managers, legislative staff, etc.), non-governmental personnel (e.g., chambers of commerce, academic institutions, research organizations, etc), and mid to upper level private sector representatives. This group can be further broken down as follows:
1. Policy group (political)
a. State/Provincial
b. Local Planning Boards
2. Advocacy Group (NGOs, Businesses)
Typically looking at what scale of information? Most likely geo-political, sub-regional (multi-town) to regional (state/province) in scale.
What type of data are they looking for? Environmental, social and economic type data.
What sort of questions is this user trying to answer? Concerned about multi-year trends and decision-making affecting long-term investments in land quality, infrastructure, patterns of development, etc.
Will they want raw data or synthesized data for these answers? Most likely synthesized.
Normally accesses information through what avenues? Likely relies on staff to locate and synthesize data. Possibly using information from white papers, peer-reviewed studies, or web data portals.
Is it realistic for this user to be defined as one of the primary users for GOMC indicators? Indicators can be used to help set policy.
Academic/Governmental Research Scientist
Who is this user? This group of users is highly involved with active research in the area.
Typically looking at what scale of information? Could be municipal, sub-regional (e.g. multi-town, watershed, etc.) or regional (state/province, multi-state/province, etc).
What type of data are they looking for? Possibly environmental, social and economic type data.
What sort of questions is this user trying to answer? This group of users tends to be assessing cause and effect relationships and specific questions.
Will they want raw data or synthesized data for these answers? Most likely raw data.
Normally accesses information through what avenues? Peer-reviewed journals, personal research, published government reports and web data portals.
Is it realistic for this user to be defined as one of the primary users for GOMC indicators? Indicators can be used to support research.
Interested Member of the General Public
Who is this user? This group of users is varied. Some users might be web-savvy and interested in particular locales. Others might be browsing for general information on the Gulf of Maine. Examples include property owners, teachers, students and concerned citizens.
Typically looking at what scale of information? Could be local or regional.
What type of data are they looking for? Possibly environmental, social and economic type data.
What sort of questions is this user trying to answer? Concerned about issues of the day.
Will they want raw data or synthesized data for these answers? Most likely synthesized data.
Normally accesses information through what avenues?
Is it realistic for this user to be defined as one of the primary users for GOMC indicators? Indicators can be used to underpin education and outreach initiatives.