DESIGNING PROJECTS IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD

B.3 STABILITY DOMAINS
The term “domain” is used to reflect the underlying
concept that in any social–ecological system there
can be multiple “stability domains”. Each domain has
a different set of functions, structure, feedbacks and
identity. Domains are separated by thresholds that
mark a critical change in feedbacks. Once a threshold
is crossed the changes in feedbacks work to keep the
system in the alternate domain. This is also known as
“regime” in the resilience literature, but we have used
the term “domain” in this report due to the negative
connotations in the common usage of “regime”.
Figure 23 Stability domains
B.4 DECISION CONTEXT AND THE VALUES-KNOWLEDGE-RULES “LENS”
Decisions are always made within a particular context.
One way to understand this is to use a Values-Knowledge-Rules
“lens” 21
To make a decision:
• you need some knowledge about the likely outcomes
of decisions and interventions (Knowledge)
• enough people must want the outcome (Values)
• the decision must be allowable (Rules).
The prevailing set of Values, Knowledge and Rules
defines the context in which decisions are made. The
overlapping space in the middle metaphorically holds
the options are that are available to a decision maker.
It is relatively easy to make an intervention that falls
within this space. When decisions are needed that
are not consistent with the current decision context,
interventions are needed to change the context.
Using the Values-Knowledge-Rules lens can enable
you, and stakeholders to:
• articulate the values, knowledge and rules that decision
makers use now
• identify how decision processes and options can be
constrained by exclusion of certain forms of knowledge,
values or rules
• recognize societal structures and processes that
maintain constraints on decision-making
• develop strategies and agency to overcome these
constraints.
Knowledge
(K)
Values, rules and knowledge interact with each other.
Increased knowledge can drive changes in values, a
shift in values can create social pressure to change
the rules and a decision that had been blocked may
become feasible.
Rules
(R)
decision
context
Values
(V)
21 Contributed by the Enabling Adaptation Pathways team at CSIRO
Land and Water, based on Gorddard, R., Colloff, M.J., Wise, R.M.,
Ware, D., Dunlop, M., 2016. Values, rules and knowledge: Adaptation
as change in the decision context. Environmental Science & Policy 57,
60–69. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2015.12.004
Figure 24 Values, Knowledge and Rules lens to
characterize the decision context
98 Appendices