Testing and feedback from users

1. The Application

The intention of the ANDS-funded MARVLIS is to develop a suite of tools creating value-added products from model and observational data which can be either used by themselves or used as a ‘plug-in’ library to MARVL, thereby giving MARVL the capability to move from being a research tool for specialists to a tool with a much broader spectrum of users. The portal can be accessed from http://marvlis.aodn.org.au/marvlis/.

2. Who are the Users?

The users for the application can be marine managers, users of modelling study, researchers and Derwent Estuary Program partners and public users. Marine managers can use the application to run risk management and to access and evaluate the public health and environmental water quality for Derwent Estuary. Users of modelling study and researchers can use this application to learn and run models and to compare model outputs to observational data. Derwent Estuary Program partners in this case are particularly interested in, for the first time, considering the value of seeing their data in the public domain (other than as a table of numbers – the Saturday text recreational water quality report in the local newspaper – or in the State of the Derwent report. Public users now can have easy access to the water quality data and run risk estimate through the application.

3. Testing Methods and Findings

Derwent Estuary Program partners did user acceptance testing and provided valuable feedback. In summary, the DEP’s response is:

 a) Public health layer: the layer is useful and easy to navigate, and allows users to track recreational water quality at a given beach or bay over the past six swimming seasons. It also allows users to compare and contrast water quality between beaches and bays across the system as a whole, and put these results within the context of state and national public health guidelines. The DEP and our council partners would be open to continued use and development of this layer;

 b) Ecosystem health layer: This layer is useful and easy to navigate, and allows the user to track ambient water quality for a range of parameters at a specific monitoring site throughout the Derwent over a six year period. The sample spatial maps and modeling output would also be useful features for managers. The ability to compare observational and modeled data is also a valuable feature, which offers ‘reality check’ for both the modelled and the observational monitoring program. The DEP and our partners would be open to continued use and development of this layer for some water quality parameters.

4. Lessons Learned

1) When engaging with traditionally conservative data users/providers work harder, earlier in the program, to secure appropriate access to the data.
2) Work harder to ensure all parties involved are fully on the same page, and working towards the same deadlines
3) Set an earlier deadline for working systems so that engagement with stakeholders can be more interactive