Design

This step involves identifying the main goals and expected outcomes of each relevant component of the ecosystem assessment, such as ecosystem types and extent, ecosystem condition, and ecosystem services. It entails breaking down the overarching objectives (cf. "Identify question/ theme/ objective") into actionable targets and possible scenarios, considering the identified relevant impacts and dependencies (cf. "Identify relevant impacts and dependencies") within the defined boundaries (cf. "Define boundaries"). The step also includes an initial exploration of opportunities for additional policy alignment/ mainstreaming (beyond the core objective of the assessment). This step initiates the development of a strategy for the usage of the results of the ecosystem assessment (e.g. to inform decision-making and management actions). In this context, it entails identifying potential end-users of the assessment results and their information needs, and considering appropriate channels and formats for communicating the findings. While this strategy will be finalised and operationalised in the “Share” phase, early planning in this step ensures that the assessment process is geared toward generating actionable and policy-relevant insights.