ID: 1731
Presenting Author: Jeffrey Janes
Session: 660 - Using Digital Tools to Enhance Transparency & Collaboration during Impact Assessments
Status: pending
The presentation outlines the benefits of using digital platforms to organize, visualize, and provide access of data to stakeholders during impact assessments, to enhance stakeholder engagement.
Impact assessment processes typically include requirements and expectations for engagement with stakeholders and Indigenous communities in the project area. This includes discussions with individuals and groups, often with a wide range of subject matter knowledge. These processes also include staggering amounts of complex data that can be difficult to understand. These data are often collected by subject matter experts from multiple organizations or government agencies, with little collaboration on the standardization regarding format and analysis, and presentation. Storage of these data through siloed websites, databases and portals further exacerbates this issue. For stakeholders, this can result in difficulties in both accessing and understanding the data and being able to have effective and meaningful participation. Under traditional methods for engagement, information is often provided to stakeholders in static formats such as large technical reports, poster boards, and/or curated paper maps that cannot be changed or edited in real time. These materials are often created by proponents, with limited insight into the source, analysis, or underlying metadata of the information.
This presentation outlines the perceived and real benefits of using a centralized data management, visualization, and reporting platform to standardize the organization, display, and access to relevant data in support of natural resource development. The position of the authors is that allowing interested parties to see, interact with, and obtain the data / information used as part of assessment.
Jeff Janes is an Impact Assessment (IA) Practitioner and Product Manager with ICI Innovations. He has 10 years experience with IA in Atlantic Canada, including engagement and data collection
Coauthor 1: Corey Tucker