Background document which led to the Clearinghouse for sustainable mountain developments we are creating on www.mountaintrip.eu

1. mountain.TRIP
mountain sustainability: Transforming Research Into Practice
PRACTITIONERS’ CONSULTATION WORKSHOP
9 NOVEMBER 2010
Clearinghouse for climate change research
Summary
Jacek Kozak, Dominik Kaim
Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
2009-2011 | FP7 | Coordination and Support Action
Knowledge Transfer and uptake of EU research results

2. Presentation of results
1.How useful is the content and does it respond to the information needs of
the targeted group of practitioners?
Main findings:
• in general – yes, it is (might be) useful
• several requirements / needs have to be met
Strengths and weaknesses of the content:
• one of many platforms/ portals for CC (W)
• information and not data (S)

3. Presentation of results
2.How well do the communication goals address the communication
problems? Are they ambitious enough, feasible, relevant?
Main findings:
• yes, relevant; time savings to extract ‘ready information’ are important
• due to diverse community – translation is necessary
• users have to be defined more precisely
Strengths and weaknesses of the communication goals:
• unclear user definition (W)
• practice-orientation may attract users which up to now were not benefiting
from CC research

4. Presentation of results
3.How is the fit between the components of the information products?
How effective are the information products as a whole?
Main findings:
• effectiveness depends on the design and ‘marketing’
Strengths and weaknesses of the information products as a whole:
• has to be known and used, maintained – otherwise makes no sense (W)

5. Presentation of results
4.How well does the proposed format(s) correspond to the target group's
preferences?
Main findings:
• yes, it is one of important ways / methods of looking for information
• CCC may be structured and ‘personalised’ with respect to user groups
Strengths and weaknesses of the format(s):
• it is very easy to construct one more technical tool which would be rejected
by users at the very beginning (users do not like it & do not use it)
•required ease-of use, intuitiveness
• CCC layout is important

6. Presentation of results
5. How effective and adequate are the chosen dissemination channels?
Main findings:
• links / newsletters / email lists with information
• Google search !!!
• targeted mail lists
• exchange of links
• mass media

7. Presentation of results
6.Which aspect of the information products needs to be improved most? How?
Main findings:
• translations (at least keywords)
• intuitive design
• advanced search capabilities
• various ways of structuring the information: thematic, geographic
• additional project outcome categories may be included (e.g., layman reports)
Other key comments:
• focus on CC (economic) impacts (practice-oriented)
• benchmarking / comparison to other similar platforms is important

8. Presentation of results
7.Do you think these information products could be used for the future
communication of research results?
Main findings:
• yes
• continuity and maintenance beyond the project lifetime – very difficult;
volunteering participation / clearinghouse update was discussed, but no
convincing evidence that it might work; reliability of information is an issue
then