Center for Ocean Solutions Decision Guide for Selecting Decision Support Tools for Marine Spatial Planning

Resource Description

The COS Decision Guide assists practitioners select appropriate decision support tools (DSTs) for conducting marine spatial planning in their own jurisdictions.  The COS Decision Guide is intended to assist practitioners in selecting appropriate decision support tools (DSTs) that can help them conduct marine spatial planning in their own jurisdictions.  In this Guide, nine DSTs used to inform marine spatial planning processes around the world are profiled. The Guide highlights synergies between tools that could be used to create a DST “toolbox”, how these DSTs could fit into a general marine spatial planning framework, specific functions and features, and case studies that provide a deeper look into how the nine featured DSTs have been used. The Decision Support Tool Rubric integrates process steps, general tool functions, and individual DST capabilities to help practitioners identify and select appropriate tools. Finally, the Guide closes with a priority needs assessment to help tool developers and practitioners determine where future efforts and collaborations could best be allocated.