This document discusses the importance of solution-oriented research for developing transformational solutions to water sustainability challenges. It argues that water systems are complex and that professional experience alone is not sufficient, as solutions can fail, have unintended consequences, or be less efficient than possible. It then outlines what solution-oriented research entails, including producing evidence on best practices, sustainable water supply options, effective conservation measures, and more. The rest of the document discusses how to design, test, select, reach agreement on, evaluate, and teach solutions through a problem analysis, goal visioning, strategy design process. It provides examples of intervention points and customized databases to catalog potential solutions. The outlook is that continued solution-oriented research and integrated planning is

1. The Role of Research in
Developing and Implementing
Transformational Solutions for
Water Sustainability
Arnim Wiek, Lauren Withycombe Keeler, Dave White
Decision Center for a Desert City
Arizona State University
Workshop on “Transformational Solutions for Water in the West”
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico
September 5, 2013

2. Failing Solutions
“A current policy subsidizes farmers to invest in
improved on-farm irrigation efficiency, expecting water
to be conserved off farm. Contrary to expectation, water
has been increasingly depleted in some regions after
such improvements.”
Huffaker, R. (2008). Conservation potential of agricultural water conservation
subsidies, Water Resources Research, 44, W00E01.
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3. Why solution-oriented research?
§ Water systems are complex
§ Designing solutions for complex systems requires
enhanced capacities
§ Professional experience is not always sufficient
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4. Why solution-oriented research?
§ Water systems are complex
§ Designing solutions for complex systems requires
enhanced capacities
§ Professional experience is not always sufficient
ê
§ Solutions can fail
§ Solutions can create unintended consequences
§ Solutions can be less efficient than possible
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5. What is solution-oriented research?
Produces evidence on
§ “Good / best management practices”
§ “Sustainable water supply”
§ “Effective conservation measures”
§ “Fair water distribution”
§ “Public support”
§ Etc.
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6. What are we talking about
I
Problem
Analysis
What is the
problem?
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7. What are we talking about
I
II
Problem
Analysis
Goal
Visioning
What is the
problem?
What is the
goal?
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8. What are we talking about
I
III
II
Problem
Analysis
Strategy
Design
&
Tes7ng
Monitoring
&
Evalua7on
Goal
Visioning
What is the
problem?
How do we get
from here to there?
What is the
goal?
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9. How to design solutions
DPR Project, Texas
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
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10. How to test solutions?
What problem does the solution address?
What is the goal?
1. What is the intervention point?
2. What are the actions and actors?
3. What is the evidence that the solution works?
4. What are barriers and coping strategies?
5. What are unintended consequences?
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11. How to test solutions?
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12. How to test solutions?
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13. How to select or coordinate solutions?
!
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14. Intervention Points and Actions
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!

15. How to reach agreement on solutions
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16. How to reach agreement on solutions
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17. How to evaluate solutions?
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18. How to teach solutions?
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19. Customized Databases
Problem – Water scarcity
Goal – Satisfying all water needs/wants
§ Alternative sourcing
§ Participatory water budgeting (distribution)
§ Demand side management
§ Direct potable reuse
§ …
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20. Outlook for DCDC
§ DCDC’s past work: advanced knowledge on
water challenges under climate change
uncertainties in collaboration between
researchers and policy makers
§ DCDC’s future agenda includes: solutionoriented research on water supply and demand
management strategies as well as integrated
planning processes
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21. Contact
Dr. Arnim Wiek
Decision Center for a Desert City &
School of Sustainability
Arizona State University
E-mail: arnim.wiek@asu.edu
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