USER ENGAGEMENT WITH A WEB-BASED DECISION SUPPORT TOOL TO SUPPORT USFWS SCIENTISTS’ DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIES STATUS ASSESSMENTS

The goal of Climate Analysis and Visualization for the Assessment of Species Status (CAnVAS) is to design and provide a web-based decision support system for United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biologists so they can easily incorporate climate information into Species Status Assessments (SSAs). SSAs are scientific assessments prepared for at-risk species to help inform decisions under the Endangered Species Act. Climate information needs to be incorporated into SSAs to account for the various factors that affect species, such as: how climate factors vary year-to-year, how they are expected to change in the future, and their uncertainty. This study is focused on the assessment and refinement of CAnVAS using a design-based research approach where evidence-based decisions relevant to the design elements and content of the CAnVAS tool are informed by a rigorous, three-part evaluation process. This process includes thematic coding and ranking of SSAs, interviews with authors of SSAs, and eye-tracking an initial prototype of CAnVAS with undergraduate students. This presentation will provide qualitative and quantitative research results from evaluation activities. Specifically, qualitative results from the thematic coding/rubric ratings of SSAs will be presented. SSA coding and rubric analysis used in this study will provide themes about what climate information is currently being used in SSAs. Preliminary eye-tracking studies were conducted with undergraduates and will provide information about user eye-patterns and attention that will further refine this framework to benefit USFWS biologists. Quantitative results from an eye-tracking pilot study with an initial prototype of CAnVAS will be presented. This research is being conducted in partnership with the Department of Geosciences at Auburn University, the State Climate Office of North Carolina, and the United States Geological Survey Southeast Climate Adaption Science Center.