FAO$SFM$ToolBox$

Report'of'User'Testing'and'Feedback'World$Forestry$Congress$

Durban,$South$Africa$–$7A11$September$2015$

!Paul!Matthews!Paulusm@gmail.com!!Consultant!!

!

Methods'Attendees$of$the$WFC$exhibition$were$invited$to$test$the$SFM$Toolbox$in$a$

specially$provided$computer$lab$and$to$provide$feedback$verbally,$via$an$online$

survey$and$feedback$sheets.$Eight$of$the$attendees$participated$in$a$detailed$

usability$test$of$the$Toolbox.$They$were$instructed$to$find$information$relevant$

to$their$projects$or$interests,$starting$from$the$Toolbox$home$page.$

$

!!!!!!!!!!!!

!Attendees!testing!the!toolbox!interface!

$$

Main'Findings'and'Recommendations'There$was$a$lot$of$interest$in$the$Toolbox,$particularly$from$students$and$

academics,$and$a$real$appreciation$of$the$open$access$nature$of$the$resources$

within.$There$were$several$requests$for$an$offline$version$to$access$when$away$

from$an$internet$connection.$

$

The$survey$data$underlines$the$value$of$structured$and$curated$tools$in$addition$

to$the$need$for$open$and$offline$access$to$forestry$resources.$FAO$document$

repository$resources$are$valued,$but$there$is$a$question$over$the$search$engine$

visibility$of$individual$documents.$

$

The$SFM$priorities$from$the$survey$were$categorised$and$ranked$as$follows:$

$Theme% Importance%Capacity%development/knowledge%management/education% 46.5'Finance/incentives/investments% 36.5'Forest%protection/enforcement/implementation% 29'Community%engagement/involvement/coordination% 28.5'Land%and%forest%tenure% 27.5'Governance/political%will/corruption% 26.5'Forest%policy%/legislation% 26'Assessment/monitoring% 25.5'Population/resource%demand/poverty/food%security% 22'Conservation% 4.5'Trade% 2.5'

Plantation% 2'Soil%erosion% 2'$

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In$terms$of$demand$for$additional$modules,$mangroves,$community$forestry,$

extension$and$tourism$were$the$most$frequently$mentioned.$

$

The$survey$form$and$responses$are$provided$in$Appendix$2.$Additional$feedback$

comments$provided$on$feedback$sheets$are$given$in$Appendix$1.$

$

$

The$main$usability$testing$issues$and$resulting$recommendations$are$as$follows:$

$

•! There$is$a$significant$problem$of$language$accessibility,$in$that$users$do$

not$always$know$the$technical$terms$(e.g.$silviculture$for$tree$growing).$

Similarly,$users$did$not$recognise$what$was$meant$by$“modules”$or$

“tools”.$$It!is!recommended!to!review!interface!labelling!and!simplify!or!supplement!technical!terms!with!simpler!explanations!where!possible$

•! While$the$textAbased$resources$were$appreciated,$when$video$“howAto”$

resources$were$encountered,$users$really$appreciated$them$as$they$

provide$an$immediacy$and$visual$appeal$not$provided$by$text.$Additional$

videos$of$use$were$found$outside$the$ToolBox,$that$were$of$use$to$testers.$

It!is!recommended!to!include!more!video!resources!in!the!toolbox!and!possibly!to!provide!search!and!browse!filters!for!video!content!only.$

•! The$Toolbox$login$features$prominently,$but$registering$and$logging$in$

does$not$provide$any$significant$value$to$users.$It$creates$uncertainty$as$to$

whether$resources$are$truly$open$access.$$It!is!recommended!that!it!be!removed,!or!only!placed!where!a!login!is!needed!(e.g.!forum)!

•! The$global$FAO$search$is$confused$with$the$local$toolbox$search$in$pages$

where$they$both$appear,$causing$users$to$exit$the$toolbox.$It!is!recommended!to!remove!the!FAO!global!search!from!Toolbox!sub!pages!

•! The$Toolbox$search$is$unforgiving$and$does$not$allow$for$auto$complete,$

spelling$mistakes,$synonyms,$faceting$and$best$bet$search.$It!is!recommended!that!the!search!technology!be!upgraded!to!improve!the!search!experience.!AGROVOC!might!be!used!to!provide!links!between!terms!and!Tools,!modules!and!cases.$

•! The$ordering$of$tools$within$modules$is$not$consistent$with$the$relative$

importance$or$usefulness$of$the$tool$to$the$module$theme$(e.g.$see$Forest$

Inventory)$.$It!is!recommended!that!the!most!important!tools!for!the!module!appear!at!the!top!of!the!list.$

•! Some$modules$appear$out$of$date,$in$that$users$were$noticing$that$more$

recent$tools$are$available$for$certain$themes.$It!is!recommended!that!

modules!be!kept!up!to!date!and!possibly!a!“last!update”!stamp!be!used!to!denote!this.!

•! Disabled$(not$yet$ready)$modules$are$often$clicked$on$by$users.$It!is!recommended!to!clearly!label!these!as!not!yet!available,!or!remove!them!altogether!!

'!!

'$

Appendix(1:(Feedback(on(requested(additional(technical(areas(and(problems(encountered((Missing(Technical(Areas(Plant&health&Dry&land&forest&&&livelihoods&FRA&&&FAOSTAT&links&under&tools&Bamboo&OpenFORIS&&&FRA&in&tools&Extension&for&SFM&Recreation&/&Ecotourism,&multi&use&of&periFurban&forests&Wood&industry&Land&claims&/&Roads&&&Infrastructure&Bamboo&“green&saving”&Certification&–&countryFspecific&tools&&OPENFORIS&in&inventory&module&Risk&Assessment&/&Food&Security&&Problems(/(Improvements(Recreation&module&gave&404&error&(from&Related&Modules&list)&Should&be&able&to&sort&cases&by&date&with&most&recent&first&Case&231907&Rwanda/Tanzania&issue&Need&to&better&categorise&modules&Need&to&organise&cases&into&comparison,&analyses&(sub&headings)&Types&of&tool&–&need&“templates”&eg&management&planning&templates&Rename&Toolbox&to&“Knowledge&Base”&Why&is&REDD+&separate&from&Climate&Change/Deforestation&in&modules?&Seems&a&bit&weak&on&climate&change&&&cultural&services&for&Europe&Rating&and&commenting&needed&Had&problems&logging&in&–&process&needs&improvement&&&&&&&&&

&&&Appendix(2:(Survey(and(Results((

(

( (

!Timestamp!

1.!First!most!Important!

2.!Second!most!important!

3.!Third!most!important!

Data!from!this!survey!will!be!used!to!improve!FAO!products!and!will!appear!in!published!academic!research.!Please!tick!this!box!to!show!that!you!consent!to!this!

Describe!an!occasion!recently!when!you!had!to!find!information.!(This!can!include!online,!in!a!book,!or!through!asking!colleagues)!

Please!select!the!sector!that!best!describes!your!role!

Which!region!does!this!apply!to?!

Reflecting!on!the!above,!can!you!suggest!what!might!have!improved!your!experience?!

9/7/2015(16:17:28(

carbon(emissions(

Greening,(food(security(

deforestation( I(agree( ( Private(Sector(

Africa( (

9/7/2015(16:37:32(

Inpaapropriate(forest(policy(and(legislation(

NonGimplimentation(of(formulated(policy(

Illegal(forest(exploitation(

I(agree( Looking(for(information(on(locals(on(biomass(energy(use(and(impacts(on(SFM.(I(used(google(search(in(looking(for(the(information.(I(was(able(to(obtain(some(valuable(information(and(texts.((

Academic( Africa( Getting(a(database(of(information(on(subject(matter.(

9/7/2015(17:44:29(

deforestation(as(a(result(of(weak(law(enforcement(

lack(of(current(data(G(maps(and(management(plans(

poverty( I(agree( I(Was(searching(for(the(management(plan(of((Onigamabar(Forest(Reserve,(Oyo(Stae(Nigeria.(I(looked(for(it(at(the(Department(of(Forestry,(University(libraries,(and(on(the(internet.(the(document(available(at(the(statev(department(of(forestry(is(old(and(not(in(agreement(with(the(current(situation(of(the(forest(on(gound.(I(was(going(to(use(map(to(design(a(forest(inventory(survey.(

Academic( Africa( If(the((current(map(could(be(downloaded(easily(from(the(internet,(it(would(have(been(fantastic(

9/7/2015(17:53:16(

irregular(forest(assessment(

poor(funding(of(forest(reseach(

Poor(capacity(building(and(manpower(training(in(forest(resources(management((

I(agree( Lookind(for(literature(on(a(proposal(on(underuntilised(and(neglected(crops(and(climate(change(adaptation/mitigation(at(the(Federal(University(of(Technology,(Akure,(Nigeria.(I(was(able(to(find(few(relevant(and(recent(materials.(Most(of(them(are(in(PDF(which(can(be(used.(The(methodology(in(some(of(them(provided(a(guideline.(I(felt(a(litle(bit(satisfied((

Academic( Africa( Availability(of(internet(facilities(to(improve.(More(funding(and(research(grant(for(forestry(reseach(and(stateGofGearth(equipment(are(required(

9/8/2015(9:36:31(

Fire(Risk(assessments(

Food(Security(

Vulnerability( I(agree( Whilst(doing(research(for(Risk(asse4ssments(and(Food(security(

Government,(Academic(

Africa( More(research(is(needed(on(the(effects(of(Wildfires(on(Food(security(in(grasslands(

9/8/2015(9:46:18(

training( economics( legislation( I(agree( resources(for(woodchip(analysis( NGO( Africa( website(

9/8/2015(9:47:07(

population(growth(

Resouses(( Political(environment((

I(agree( Googling(through(different(sites( Government(

Africa( Simplicity(and(user(friendly(

9/8/2015(11:11:01(

Inadequecy/outdated(information(

Understanding(of(tools/sustainable(programmes((

Lack(of(Capacity(

I(agree( The(focus(was(on(forest(monitoring(and(assessment,(REDD+,(Forest(and(Climate(change(issues...just(to(see(the(kind(of(tools(applied(to(deal(with(issues(in(various(countries.(Some(of(the(information(still(missing,(some(not(found(under(the(expected(topics.(((

Government,(Academic(

Africa( (

9/8/2015(11:48:35(

Deforestation( Powerty( soil(erosion( I(agree( Hello,(I(Komlan(Houelete,(forester(engener(graduate.(I(work(in(goverment(sector.(We(need(informations(in(policy(to(implemente(Landscape(and(Forestry(Restoration,(

Government(

Africa( Agroforestry(Biodiversity(

9/8/2015(16:30:19(

Illegal(logging(control(

Slash(and(burn(agriculature(

Controlling(fire(in(miombo(

I(agree( Buffer(zone(of(reserve(in(Mozambique,(illegal(logging(by(Chinese(valuable(hard(wood(.(REDD+(project,(forest(inventory.(Plan(to(sell(carbon(credits.(Conservation(training(for(villagers(on(the(margin.(No(network(access(inside(reserve.(Travel(to(get(access.((

Government(

Africa( Need(better(access(to(books(etc(

9/8/2015(16:44:54(

Monitoring(( A(monitary(value(for(forest(conservation.(

Strict(enforcement(of(land(use(policy(

I(agree( Satellite(images(for(work(project(of(project(area,(after(a(couple(of(hours(I(found(some(sources(but(not(100%(what(I(needed.(Bettter(if(we(had(more(detail,(but(had(to(work(with(free(ones.((

Private(Sector(

Americas(

A(server(or(a(platform(that(would(offer(out(of(date(imagery(that(could(be(useful(for(people.(

9/8/2015(16:55:58(

Policy(( Improve(local(economy(so(locals(preserve(forest((

technical(aspects(of(SFM(

I(agree( Forestry(conference(attendence,(finding(out(information(about(national(partks.(Very(easy(to(find((

Academic( Asia( Some(language(problems((Chinese)(

9/9/2015(10:10:48(

Governance(&(corruption(

Investment( Poverty,(related(to(agriculture(

I(agree( Looking(for(compliance(information(with(law(relating(to(forest(management.(Looking(at(legality(and(capacity(of(

NGO( Africa( Need(an(online(database(of(compliance(information(and(data((

government(and(participation(of(stakeholders.(Tried(internet,(consulted(with(government(official(on(easily(available(reports.((

9/9/2015(10:40:18(

Forest(Governance(

Land(Use(Planning(

Forest(management(Practices(

I(agree( I(have(often(made(my(searches(from(books(but(recently(got(hooked(to(google(searches(I(choose(to(follow(up(on(leads(from(such(searches(

NGO( Africa( getting(more(precise(and(organized(data(or(information(on(forest(and(environment(management(

9/9/2015(10:41:32(

Science(policy(interface(

Monitoring(systems((inventory)(

Money(and(political(will(

I(agree( I(first(had(to(do(an(internet(basic(search(after(which(I(found((myriad(of(things(that(had(a(wide(range(in(their(relevancy(to(what((I(was(looking(for.(I(however(followed(links(to(latest(publications(and(conferences(on(the(work(and(eventually(asked(senior(collegues(about(the(information(Ii(had(found(and(had(them(comment(on(what(was(the(right(way(to(follow.(

Academic( Africa( Having(a(point(source(of(infornation(on(the(data(that(gives(indication(on(where(to(get(stuff(would(have(made(it(quicker.((

9/9/2015(11:54:51(

Knowledge(sharing(

Capacity(development(

Governance( I(agree( I(needed(to(search(the(information(about(the(values(of(forests(to(develop(a(PR(materials(of(the(organization.(Since(most(of(the(public(in(urban(areas(in(developed(countries(do(not(rely(on(their(living(in(the(forest,(convincing(them(that(the(our(work,(supporting(developing(countries'(forest(projects,(is(a(challenging(task.(So(I(tried(to(find(some(specific(figures(that(can(explain(how(forest(contributes(to(our(lives(on(earth.((I(searched(through(some(websites(of(international(organizations(in(forestGrelated(sectors(such(as(FAO,(CIFOR,(IUCN,(IUFRO,(ITTO,(and(others.(I(did(google(only(when(I(can(specify(the(keywords(for(searching.(It(was(quite(a(demanding(task(than(I(expected,(because(it(was(hard(to(find(the(

Secretariat(of(intergovernmental(cooperation(mechanism(

Asia( FAO's(Toolbox(seems(the(one(that(I(really(needed(all(the(time.((It(seems(to(shortlist(references(that(I(might(need(to(digest.(I(believe(this(would(help(us(expand(my(knowledge(more(efficiently.((

comprehensive(publications(with(credibility(in(some(of(the(topics(that(I(am(not(familiar(with.(

9/9/2015(13:53:00(

private(ownership(G(don't(involve(people(

involving(local(people(

technical(support.(

I(agree( Types(of(forest(business.(Which(is(viable?(want(to(start(own(forest(business.(Hard(to(find.(Didn't(find(anything..(

NGO( Africa( How(to(make(seed(oil,(what(machine(is(used(Maroula(tree.((

9/9/2015(15:52:39(

Law(is(out(of(date(

Knowledge(gaps(practitioners(and(local(people(

Communication(

I(agree( Community(forest(biodiversity(assessment.(Google(search.(Articles((academic)(to(make(sure(understanding(is(correct.(Not(easy(to(access(publications(as(don't(have(subscriptions.((

Government(

Asia( Open(access(resources(more(available(

9/9/2015(16:04:31(

Attracting(priivate(finance,(given(high(levels(of(risk(

Finding(bankable(projects(

recieving(value(from(emission(reductions(

I(agree( we(were(developing(business(models(for(smallholder(cacao(in(central(africa.((We(needed(actual(production(amounts,(yields,(density(and(other(information(on(groeing(systems.((Using(a(search(engine((google),(we(wanted(to(find(articles(and(studies(with(this(information(across(multiple(sources.((Virutally,(none(of(the(FAO(papers(were(found.(

Private(Sector(

Africa,(Americas,(Asia(

Improve(your(search(recognition(on(the(major(web(browsers.(((Have(englsh(versions(of(papers(available.(

9/9/2015(16:05:54(

funding( technical(expertise(

( I(agree( web(based(search(for(information(on(programs/organizations/corporations(working(on(smallGscale(rural(solar(inplementation(in(Malawi.(to(the(extent(that(these(types(of(interventions(are(happening(in(Malawi,(there(was(a(fairly(good(bit(of(information,(however(I(found(that(my(searches(were(oftentimes(met(with(press(releases(which(never(led(me(to(any(actual(content(or(contact(information(for(these(implementing(organizations.(this(can(be(frustrating(because(I(was(ultimately(trying(to(find(organizations(that(could(inform(me(on(best(practices,(risks,(etc.((

Private(Sector(

Africa,(Americas,(Asia,(Europe(

i(definitely(think(that(having(information(on(type(of(content(being(available(in(search(results(would(be(helpful.((

9/9/2015(16:14:29(

Issue(of(tenure(

Economic(benefit(from(the(forest(

Community(participation((encouraging)(

I(agree( We(were(looking(for(logging(equipment(for(farmers(to(use.(Went(through(the(net,(didn't(find(anything(useful.(Didn't(find(what(I(was(looking(for(and(gae(up.(As(yet(

NGO( Africa( Companies(which(are(offering(such(equipment(in(terms(of(pricing,(location,(access.((

unresolved.((

9/9/2015(16:57:26(

Resource(ownership(issues(

Investment(following(up(soul(of(intention(

information(gaps(G(need(to(clarify(what(we(want(to(sustain.(

I(agree( Looking(for(information(on(ecosystem(services(from(agroforestry.(Had(criteria(for(saerch.(Selected(COFI(and(COCO(agroforestry(systemsg(africag(NGILILI((Tanzania).(Was(not(easy.(Gets(difficult(and(information(is(disjointed.(Started(with(published,(went(on(to(grey(literature.(

Research( Africa,(Americas,(Asia,(Europe,(Oceania(

Would(be(good(to(have(a(module(in(a(major(information(source.(Something(compiled(together,(more("oneGstop"(where(keywords(link(into(a(bibliography(or(collection(of(items.(Ecosystems(services(studies(are(scattererd(across(journals(and(doucmentation.(Harder(when(you(look(at(different(locations.((

9/10/2015(10:24:22(

Managing(rural(people(and(their(resource(use(

Law(enforcement(

Education(and(raising(awareness,(communication(

I(agree( A(recent(youth(campaighn(on(climate(change.(My(depeartment(took(part.(I(had(to(link(climate(change(with(our(mandate.(Went(onto(web(and(looked(at(importance(of(trees(and(forests,(how(trees(can(be(useful(in(mitigating(climate(change.(I(found(it,(but(I(had(to(go(to(lots(of(sites.(Information(all(over(the(place(

Government(

Africa( One(place(where(everything(is(available.(In(one(area.(

(

9/10/2015(11:15:20(

Few(people(who(are(actually(there(to(do(the(work(sincerely(

Human(capital(other(resources(very(expensive(

Top(problem(is(most(of(these(things(are(not(generative(of(income(immediately.(Investors(not(forthcoming.(

I(agree( Looking(for(someone(working(on(forest(fruit(trees,(especially(in(the(area(of(vegetative(propogation(and(interspecic(and(intraspecific(variations.(Went(to(the(net(but(not(been(able(to(find(anybody.((

Government(

Africa( In(the(area(of(grafting,(there(are(few(statistical(data(to(back(up(some(of(this(future(research(with(the(exception(of(one(I(foind,(to(do(with(one(particular(author(who(came(up(with(an(allometric(analysis.((

9/10/2015(11:27:33(

weak(governance(

limited(resources(

limited(political(willingness(

I(agree( I(was(in(Tanzania,(online(search,(I(was(looking(for(Inventory(techniques(for(Trees(outside(the(forest.(I(found(it(on(the(FAO(repository,(it(was(on(two(format(web(based(format(and(PDF.(It(is(a(kind(of(nice(materail(but(needs(more(case(studies(to(include(Africa.(

Government,(Academic,(Projects(

Africa( 1.(web(portal(for(ease(search(2.custom(made(tool(to(search((

(

9/10/2015(11:50:21(

Decision(making(at(

Education(ofyoung(

Build(capacity(of(

I(agree( Had(to(look(for(information(on(carbon(marketing(with(respect(to(mangrove(

Academic( Africa( Looking(really(for(a(document(that(had(

government(level(to(prioritise(forests(

people(to(understand(role(of(forests(in(sustainable(livelihoods(

communities(to(design(sustainable(action(plans(

forests.(I(used(a(google(search(.(Just(found(a(document(talking(about(blue(carbon.(it(was(useful.(Specific(information(on(the(search(was(not(available((

information(on(current(status(of(markets(of(mangrove(forests(relating(to(carbon.(Especially(Niger(delta(region.((

9/10/2015(12:24:05(

Land(tenure( Corruption( Lack(of(investment(in(forests(

I(agree( I(was(looking(for(the(role(of(protected(areas(in(disaster(reduction.(Used(the(library(at(my(university,(couldn't(find(much(so(went(to(Google.(Found(some(IUCN(publications(on(the(topic.(Useful(as(a(preliminary,(needed(more(depth.((

Academic( Americas(

Case(studiesg(publications(that(give(short(paragraph(for(each(case.(Where(I(can(go(into(more(detail.((

9/10/2015(12:31:35(

Community(rights(G(lack(of(will(to(grant(this(

Issues(of(tenure(

Comunities(not(making(money(G(need(entreprenurial(skills.(

I(agree( I(used(FAO(website(and(IIED(for(forest(enterprise(development.(Finding(useful(documents.(Formats(are(useful,(nice(and(simple(and(useful(

Government(

Africa( Engaging(with(communities,(more(pictorial(presentations(or(illustrations.(For(example,(profit(analysis(you(need(simple(illustrations(of(calculations,(for(less(literate(communities(

9/10/2015(12:45:40(

Clear(land(title(

Good(access(to(information(

Forestry(training(informal(or(formal(

I(agree( Uneven(aged(management(G(looking(for(books(on(the(internet.(Knew(of(a(book(published(but(was(unable(to(find(it(again.(

NGO( Americas(

Good(to(have(a(database(of(quality(titles(orderable(in(hard(copy.(

(

&