Guidance and methods for indicator selection and specification

This page explains what is meant with the term indicator in the context of Intarese, defines what indicators are needed for and how indicators can be used in Integrated risk assessments.

KTL/MNP (E. Kunseler, M. Pohjola, J. Tuomisto, L. van Bree)

Introduction

Guidance needed

• Several approaches to indicators
• Cases in the phase of moving from issue framing to assessment
  • Indicator selection and specification as the bridge

Background and definitions

• RAs are causal network descriptions of real world phenomena
  • Full-chain approach
• RA descriptions consist of variables (basic building blocks of RA)
• Indicators are variables of specific interest
  • Purpose of indicators is to help communication about important phenomena
    • explaining and monitoring
  • Definition: indicators are the variables that need to be reported
• proxy: indirect replacement for a variable - should not be confused with vars & inds

Different approaches to indicators

• Several approaches
• different needs require different kinds of indicators

Examples of approaches

• WHO
  • individual objects
  • standardization
• EEA
  • typology of four kinds of indicators
• RIVM
  • 4 sets/panels
  • communication to different audiences

General classification of indicators

• Topic-based classification
• Causality-based classification
• Reference-based classification

Intarese indicator types

• Full-chain approach: causality must always be adressed
• Communicative needs define the chosen set of indicators in each case
• Indicators can be helpful in creating the causal network description
• suitable/non-suitable indicators for Intarese needs

From issue framing to causal network

• exclusions and inclusions
• vars to report = indicators
• indicators placed along causal network
• required "help" variables added to complete the causal network
  • all variables must be causally linked to chosen endpoints
• specification of variables in iterative steps
• proceed from full-chain level to reasonable level of detail
  • scoping tool to help this
  • hierarchical control of general & specific variables
  • level of detail can be iteratively adjusted to meet e.g. data availability and understanding of causal relations

Selection of indicators

• according to purpose of RA
  • communication needs internally and externally
• predefined indicator sets?
• standardized indicators

Specification of indicators

• same as for all variables
• estimating variable/indicator result
• explaining how variable/indicator result is estimated
• causalities always defined as part of the variable/indicator specification

Structure of variable/indicator

• why unified structure?
  • efficiency
  • physical reality objects & value judgements can both be described as variables
  • control of hierarchical information structures
• attributes of variables
• comparison of approaches???