Appendix 4: Methods for assessing effects of options Qualitative methods / techniques Something for which measurability has not been established is called a quality or a characteristic of the object (eg, opinions about an object). Inputs, resources, skills Method/technique When best used or avoided Strengths Weaknesses Assumptions, risks required There is risk of gaps in the Consultation/focus All RMA plan-making processes Helps highlight debates over For more than an “off the Can be time and combined knowledge of groups/workshops/hui should involve consultation as the value of resources and the cuff” assessment of future if more than a participants, where important part of preparing new nature and scale of existing and effects, people being one-off exercise. Consultation of stakeholders effects may be missed or provisions. future effects. consulted need good and communities affected Care is required to underestimated. information and by a proposal helps to draw For more complex issues, Sometimes, new effects are accurately record verbal understanding of the process Group situations which are in different forms of consultation may need to be in identified, while in other cases, discussions. that they are involved in. predominantly verbal may knowledge, highlight multiple stages (ie, issues and the consultation reveals Councils are usually well result in views/knowledge of debates over the nature and options; assessment of options; different assessments of what May not reach consensus on resourced to run or more vocal participants getting scale of future effects, preferred direction). is more or less important. effects (and their scale and facilitate consultation undue weight. including who is affected significance). Recommended when Risks are often identified. type methods. and how significant these May result in a large set of community buy-in is important; effects are (perceived or articulated ‘effects’ if views are cultural effects are anticipated; actual). Consultative not categorised. if large numbers of stakeholder methods can take many groups are affected; and there forms, including For practical reasons, is wide geographic spread of meetings, open invite consultation might be broken effects. or specific invite meetings, down by stakeholder and requests for written group/location or by area of Particularly useful if there is not feedback. effect (ie,. social effects dealt good existing information with separately from about what is ‘valued’ (ie, the environmental effects). significance of effects).
Appendix 4: Methods for assessing effects of options Qualitative methods / techniques Something for which measurability has not been established is called a quality or a characteristic of the object (eg, opinions about an object). Method/technique When best used or avoided Strengths Weaknesses Assumptions, risks Inputs, resources, skills required Consultation/focus groups/workshops/hui Consultation of stakeholders and communities affected by a proposal helps to draw in different forms of knowledge, highlight debates over the nature and scale of future effects, including who is affected and how significant these effects are (perceived or actual). Consultative methods can take many forms, including meetings, open invite or specific invite meetings, and requests for written feedback. All RMA plan-making processes should involve consultation as part of preparing new provisions. For more complex issues, consultation may need to be in multiple stages (ie, issues and options; assessment of options; preferred direction). Recommended when community buy-in is important; cultural effects are anticipated; if large numbers of stakeholder groups are affected; and there is wide geographic spread of effects. Particularly useful if there is not good existing information about what is ‘valued’ (ie, the significance of effects). Helps highlight debates over the value of resources and the nature and scale of existing and future effects. Sometimes, new effects are identified, while in other cases, the consultation reveals different assessments of what is more or less important. Risks are often identified. For more than an “off the cuff” assessment of future effects, people being consulted need good information and understanding of the process that they are involved in. May not reach consensus on effects (and their scale and significance). There is risk of gaps in the combined knowledge of participants, where important effects may be missed or underestimated. Group situations which are predominantly verbal may result in views/knowledge of more vocal participants getting undue weight. May result in a large set of articulated ‘effects’ if views are not categorised. For practical reasons, consultation might be broken down by stakeholder group/location or by area of effect (ie,. social effects dealt with separately from environmental effects). Can be time and if more than a one-off exercise. Care is required to accurately record verbal discussions. Councils are usually well resourced to run or facilitate consultation type methods.
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