To make research truly useful to decision making, science users need more than findings in peer reviewed journals—they need products that deliver the information in formats and contexts that integrate into their decision-making streams and processes. This means research projects should inherently be interdisciplinary, including physical scientists, social scientists, extension specialists, and intended users throughout the project.

For our compound flood mapping project in Mobile Bay, Alabama, we are developing map products that not only show flood extent and depth, but also the influence of nature-based solutions (NBS) on compound flooding. We worked collaboratively with individuals who could ultimately use these data such as natural resource managers, planners, engineers, and community decision-makers. Through workshops, virtual meetings, and one-on-one conversations, we identified the NBS projects to include in the modeling and we learned what is needed to increase the usability and usefulness of the information—what types of maps would be helpful, how they could use the data in real situations, and how they preferred to access information.

We also studied visualization best practices to understand common pitfalls: where people get confused, what they might misinterpret, and how to design around those issues. By combining direct feedback from users with proven design principles, we developed an online tool that, we believe, is both scientifically sound and practically useful.

In this talk, we'll walk through our co-development process and share lessons learned about communicating flood risk effectively. We'll offer practical recommendations for anyone looking to bridge the gap between research and real-world application.

This presentation is part of the Cooperative Institute for Research on Hydrology (CIROH) project titled “Assessing Nature-Based Solutions to Mitigate Flood Impacts and Enhance Resilience.”