Decision Support Systems Q & A

Q: How do we get people to use the decision support tools we develop?

There are two important steps to getting people to use the decision support tool you’ve created. First, when you are creating the tool make sure you involve the people who are intended to use the product. Their input into the process will insure that you’ve created a tool that meets the needs of the intended audience. The second step involves a healthy communications process. If you think the decision support tool you’ve created will be useful to a broader audience than the one originally intended, you need to communicate that in whatever way you have available. Newsletter articles, webinars and personal visits to demonstrate the tool are a few options.

Q. I have a priority map for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (LEPC). Can we use the same map for other LEPC projects or for a similar project involving a different grouse species?

No. decision support tools are created to answer a specific question. The results of the analysis are not interchangeable with other questions or concerns. This is because of the way the tools are created. First, the data included in a decision support tool is specific to the question being asked and extraneous data are excluded. For example, a decision support tool that describes targeting of Conservation Reserve Program grasslands would not include a data layer that indicates locations of oil and gas wells. Second, creation of decision support tools should be a collaborative process with all partners, which means the tool is going to reflect the specific concerns of that group and will most likely not meet the concerns of other projects or groups. These two considerations together mean that the data included in each decision support tool are specific to the original question; therefore, it would be unwise to use a tool designed to support one type of decision to support a different sort of decision, even if there are similarities.

Q: I found a website that shows priority natural resource concerns. It will tell me exactly where energy development companies can and can’t site wind energy, correct?

Decision support tools are meant to provide scientific and/or socio-political support (or reasons) for a conservation decision. They are not meant to provide an absolute answer to a question. Wind energy development is an excellent example; we can create a decision support tool to identify areas with natural resources of concern; however, there are many diverse considerations that go into siting wind energy. Therefore, we can advise a company on an area to avoid but other considerations may make that decision unlikely.

If you have more questions about decision support tools or systems, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at 303-926-0777.