MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Desk Research
The desk research of the DARKERSKY4CE Dynamic Monitoring Tool was designed to analyse existing actions put in place by stakeholders in order to transform dark skies into an asset for sustainable local development.
WHY IS IT VALUABLE?
The desk research is a classic research strategy that allows to investigate which activities, related to a certain topic of interest, have been carried out in a given geographical area and during a specific period of time. Therefore, it also allows to assess over time whether or not various types of events, related to a certain topic of interest, are being organised.
The tangible advantage of choosing to carry out a desk research is that it does not require too much time and resources and that it allows you to use existing data (i.e. data on activities carried out by actors in a given territory).
A desk research can potentially be used in two ways. The first way is to monitor the situation at the beginning of an awareness-raising process or specific actions (e.g. a pilot action). This provides a better understanding of whether there are actors active on the issue, which events are already proving successful and which ones have not yet been explored. The second way is to monitor changes in the perception among economic operators and other stakeholders after an action has been carried out on the issue of light pollution.
By setting two equal research time frames, before and after awareness-raising activities, it is possible to assess whether the number of activities organised in a given area has increased or not. If the number of events and activities organised has increased by a significant percentage, it can be assumed that the actions carried out have had an effect on stakeholders’ perceptions of the relevance of activities on the topic (e.g. night-time observations, information evenings, tourist packages).
PARAMETERS
In order to carry out a successful desk research, with sufficient objective value, the parameters of said research must be clearly defined beforehand. Hereafter the relevant parameters of the DARKERSKY4CE desk research.
Geographic area
The geographical area must be specific and should not be too large, in order to facilitate research (maximum at regional level).
Period
The period must be specified. We recommend considering a period of time between 6 and 24 months.
Tools to be used
We can use the following tools: search engines and channels, keywords/key phrases, planning the use of AI, etc.
Focus on the main topic of the survey
In our case, light pollution and the exploitation of dark skies or everything closely related to it. For example: stargazing evenings, events on lighting, etc.
Search for activities proposed by the main LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL actors
E.g. associations or astronomical observatories, international organisations, nature parks, hotels, etc.
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