Characterizing user needs for Beescape: A spatial decision support tool focused on pollinator health.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Informatics
• Spatial Decision Support Systems
• Pollinator Ecology

Background:

• Interactive maps are valuable environmental decision-support tools.
• Designing these tools for diverse user groups presents challenges.
• Beescape aims to visualize pollinator resources and risks for informed landscape management.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate and characterize user needs for the Beescape interactive map.
• Guide future development of Beescape based on stakeholder input.
• Identify analytical, informational, and interface requirements for spatial decision support tools.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a needs assessment workshop with 20 stakeholders.
• Included participants from four key user groups: beekeepers, growers, conservationists, and pollinator scientists.
• Elicited user knowledge to inform Beescape prototype development.

Main Results:

• Identified analytical gaps in the current Beescape prototype.
• Highlighted needs for predictive/historical tools, actionable data layers, and finer-grain spatial data.
• Revealed demand for clearer explanations of data representation and creation.

Conclusions:

• User needs analysis is crucial for developing effective spatial decision support tools.
• Findings will guide Beescape's future development to better serve diverse users.
• The methodological approach can inform other environmental informatics tools for multiple user groups.