What can humanitarians and conservationists learn from each other about evidence-informed decision making?

How research can influence conservation decision-makers

A project with the Alliance of Conservation Evidence and Sustainability (ACES)

The problem

Organisations, program leaders and individuals make routine decisions in their day to day activities. But very little is known about how these decisions are made or how they can be improved.

What we did

We worked with the Alliance of Conservation Evidence and Sustainability (ACES) to understand how research can influence conservation decision makers and what could be learned from approaches taken within the humanitarian and development sectors. Over nine months, we held consultations: from academics to practitioners, and from those in headquarters to people implementing community-led conservation initiatives. We explored different approaches, asking ‘How do people approach decisions?’ ‘What factors influence them?’ And ‘What should researchers think about when generating evidence in order to aid decision makers?’

Making it useful

Alongside the research paper we produced two short briefing papers on Biases and Storytelling. These were designed for researchers and practitioners looking to improve decision making processes in their organisations. They included a one-page summary of key findings from the research, lots of links to useful tools, and recommended resources for those that want to learn more.