Start by clearly defining the project’s issue or management question and the need for change. Describe the current situation, potential causes of the issue, and proposed solutions. Identify the target audiences, their existing knowledge, and how they interact with the ecosystem that comprises the project geography. Explore any previous attempts to address the issue. Use existing data sources and plan data collection where needed.

List the activities and intended audience needed to achieve your project’s objectives. Think about what resources are needed to complete the project, including:

• the type of activities
• who needs to be involved
• realistic implementation timeline
• funding and staff capacity

Expand your thinking about the potential impact of your project by identifying not only the target audiences, but others potentially impacted. Will a possible outcome of your project have a broader consequence for people who interact or care about the project site? Are there trade-offs to consider in terms of actions that benefit one group of people but harm another group? Will environmental attributes be impacted by your project in ways that you have not considered?

Explain the expected outcome of the project activities, being clear about how participants’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior will change. Consider:

• both the ecological (for example, improved water quality) and socioeconomic (for example, increased number of beach-going days) dimensions of your project.
• desired project outcomes, including short-term (changes in knowledge), medium-term (behavior change), and long-term (ecosystem condition change).

Select the metrics you will use to evaluate and measure progress towards goals and outcomes. Go beyond metrics for activities (number of workshops, number of workshop participants), and be sure to include metrics directly tied to your project outcomes (gains in knowledge, changes in behavior, change in ecosystem condition).

In choosing these metrics, take the time to explore any existing data sources. If existing data is not available, explore the feasibility of collecting original data.

Consider the list of metrics that you have compiled. Can you establish links to a metric that represents a final ecosystem service? A final ecosystem service is a service that directly benefits one or more persons or groups impacted by your project, for example: recreational activities, cultural opportunities, landscape and wildlife viewing.