The document summarizes an e-Delphi exercise conducted to establish a vision and priority attributes for a proposed National Rivers Database (NRD). Over multiple rounds, stakeholders provided feedback to develop a draft vision statement and list of priority attributes. The final vision serves recreational and management stakeholders by providing centralized access to river information. A revised vision and lists of primary and secondary attributes/data fields were agreed upon to guide initial development of the NRD.

1. Creating a vision and priority
attributes for the National
Rivers Database (NRD) using an
e-Delphi exercise
Zac Cole, UNCG
RMS Symposium 2014

2. ∗ Problem Statement (need): establish a
vision for developing a national rivers
database, including a priority list (i.e.
starting point) of relevant attributes
∗ Outcome: Engaged stakeholders in
answering relevant questions,
providing solid operating baseline for
further DB development
∗ THANKS to those who participated!!
NRD Starting Point

3. ∗ What?
∗ structured group communication
process for collective consensus
building
∗ How?
∗ iterative rounds of sequential
questionnaires interspersed with
feedback reports
∗ Why?
∗ organization of divergent values
that integrates multiple opinions
into an informed group consensus
Delphi 101: What, How, & Why
CONSENSUS
PREPARATION
Problem Statement:
Create issue statement
Define relevant terms (database vision, priority attributes)
Expert Panel Development:
List potential participants by issue
relevancy
Define expert through selection criteria
Scoping Round:
Circulate issue and position
statements
Solicit expert qualification
Determine expert panel
CONVERGENCE
Round 1:
Prepare and circulate Round 2
questionnaire
Analyze questionnaire responses
Prepare Round 1 summary report
NO consensus: progress to Round 2
YES consensus: end Delphi, prepare
final report
Round 2:
Prepare/circulate Rd 3 questionnaire
Analyze questionnaire responses
Prepare Round 2 summary report
NO consensus: progress to ‘Other
Round’
YES consensus: end Delphi, prepare
final report
Other Rounds: If necessary, rounds continue until consensus emerges
NO
NO
Analysis and Final Report
Analyze convergence statistics
Consider impact on problem
statement
Create consensus summary
Distribute final report to participants
Apply consensus judgment to initial
problem
YES
YES
YES

4. ∗ 61 (out of 70)
∗ 29 at conclusion
∗ Panel diversity breakdown…
Expert Panel
aka interested stakeholders

5. ∗ Draft vision: The national rivers
database is a convenient resource for
all US rivers that shows where and how
to enjoy them in a context that
increases users’ awareness of river
systems. It serves river managers as a
reference for rivers flowing across
jurisdictions.
∗ Agreement level: 71.33/100 (C-)
∗ 17 revised statements provided
(recreation, management, or both)
∗ Add’l comments:
Awareness/Enjoyment; Audience;
Project Feasibility; Reference
Vision Development
River
managers/
planners
37%
Outdoor
recreation
enthusiasts
33%
NGO
stakeholders
30%

6. ∗ Critical Factors:
∗ Important: Relationship between awareness and
enjoyment
∗ Intended audience (for vision and database)
∗ Feasibility: constraints/opportunities to project
development/maintenance
∗ Reference: data authority
Vision Development

7. ∗ Rd 1
∗ 36 attributes
∗ 60 add’l attribute
comments
∗ 8 categories
∗ 51 attributes
∗ 13 add’l inclusion
comments
∗ 2 issue categories:
∗ Data duplication/
external links
∗ Accuracy/currency
of information
∗ 10 specific attribute
questions
Priority Attribute
Development

8. ∗ Critical Factors:
∗ Attribute overlap
∗ Visitor services and outfitters
∗ Location-based attributes
∗ Management contact
∗ Suggested use
Priority Attribute Development

9. Final Vision and Attributes
REVISED VISION STATEMENT:
The National Rivers Database
serves as a central resource
for stakeholders (users,
managers, and the public) to
access relevant recreational
and management information
about US rivers
Primary Attributes
(ABC order)
Secondary Attributes
(rank order)
a Access points 1 Location
(city/town)
11 Fees
b Federal
designation(s)
2 Narrative
description
12 Segment stop
(coordinates)
c Location (state) 3 Website 13 Recreation:
camping
d Name 4 Management
contact
14 Ownership
e Other designation
(water trail,
blueway, etc.)
5 Recreation:
boating
15 Recreation: fishing
f Permit
requirements
6 Jurisdiction/
Admin Agency
16 Hazards
g Regulations/
restrictions
7 Difficulty
(Class I-V)
17 Recreation: trails
h Reservation
requirements
8 Suggested use
type
18 GIS files
i Segment Length 9 Management
district/region
19 Photos
j State
designation(s)
10 Segment start
(coordinates)

10. ∗ I have copies of…
∗ Round summaries
∗ Vision development summary
∗ Final report
∗ Thank you
∗ Questions/Comments
∗ Contact: Zac Cole
zdcole@uncg.edu
Ongoing…