Eliciting judgments, priorities, and values using structured survey methods

Abstract

The judgments of scientists, priorities of managers, and values of stakeholders are unique aspects of knowledge embedded in environmental management. Structured survey methods enable statistically rigorous analyses to account for the unique perspectives of these audiences. Several considerations are critical for ensuring the successful application of these methods. The number and type of respondents affect the way in which surveys are designed. If unaddressed, frailties in human judgment and other practical considerations can impact the number and quality of responses. Various question types are available which include asking participants to respond using a single measurement scale or by making choices that require trade-offs among multiple and often competing attributes. At the heart of these considerations is the recognition of trade-offs, not only among different aspects of the decision, but also the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches for eliciting and aggregating stakeholder preferences. Experimental design considerations can help achieve a balance between the quantity and quality of data collected. Three case studies demonstrate application of these methods. The first illustrates heuristics that scientists used to characterize the significance of adverse events associated with a large-scale hydropower system in British Columbia, Canada. The next example demonstrates managers’ preferred options for regulating incidental take of migratory birds across Canada. Lastly, a survey of recreational boaters in northern Wisconsin, USA revealed differences in management priorities within a stakeholder group. Collectively, these examples demonstrate the broad usefulness of applying structured survey methods to real-world applications in environmental management.