Background
Scientists and field staff
The pathway through the web site starting on this page is especially designed for people who want details of all seven steps covered by this Salmon Monitoring Advisor web site. We foresee two groups of such people:
- Scientists who design monitoring programs or analyze the resulting data.
For more information about the benefits to you of using this web site, ...click here. - Any organization's technical staff who implement monitoring designs in the field.
For more information about the benefits to you of using this web site, ... click here.
On subsequent web pages, you will be prompted to work through the seven steps of our monitoring wheel, which reflect the development and implementation of salmon monitoring programs. Components of each step are shown below in expanded views of portions of the wheel. Click on the image to enlarge it.
Throughout this web site, we show these seven steps of monitoring in a wheel to reflect the idea that they are interconnected and iterative and that users should be working through the steps sequentially. We cannot overemphasize the importance of each of these seven steps. None of them can be omitted. All of them are linked, and skipping any of them could result in misleading data, inappropriate decisions, or ineffective use of time, money, and effort with no net benefit to salmon populations or people.
The iterative process
The process of going through the seven steps of designing and implementing monitoring programs for salmon, as well as subsequently using the resulting data, is an iterative one. It is not a linear, one-pass-through sequence of steps that reaches a stopping point after monitoring results are reported. Instead, Steps 1-6 should be repeated as required. This is why we have a seventh step, one in which users are encouraged to carefully examine the plans for, or the results of, their monitoring program to date to determine whether any revisions are necessary.
Such revisions may include going back to redefining the initial goals and objectives, a situation that often arises after finding that it is impractical or infeasible to meet those ideals. However, this process of working back through earlier steps does not need to wait until all seven steps have been completed. For instance, it could be that an impractically expensive design emerges during the second step, in which details of monitoring designs are established for the stated objectives. This would prompt a re-examination of the initial goals and objectives. Similarly, when the details of collecting data in Step 3 are outlined, logistical complexities could emerge that were not foreseen in Step 2, and design changes would be required.
The key message here is that users should be prepared to work iteratively through the seven steps of designing, implementing, and analyzing results from salmon monitoring programs. As a consequence, outcomes should better meet the monitoring objectives.
Begin the development of your monitoring program
Click here ... to begin the multi-stage process of developing your monitoring program.
