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Welcome to our Guide to Collaborative Science!

We designed the Guide to Collaborative Science to be usable in pieces. Each section of this guide contains examples, tips, user insights, and downloadable tools. While some parts draw upon others, the guide need not be used in sequence. Use the parts that are helpful to you when you need them.

We encourage you to take the guidance provided here and make it your own, modifying it as needed to best fit your circumstances. We also encourage you to let us know how we can improve and expand upon this resource.

What Is Collaborative Science?

Collaborative science is a knowledge co-creation process that informs natural resource management decisions by involving scientists, managers, communities, and others to advance understanding in a manner that none of them working alone could accomplish. More »

Mindset and Principles

The mindset with which teams approach their work is fundamental to successful collaborative science. Collaborative science will look different from project to project, but we have found that there are core principles of collaborative science that distinguish it from more "traditional" approaches to science. More »

Scope Your Project

Clarify the purpose of your project, with attention to the needs of both the place and all those who benefit from it.

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Design Your Project

Build an appropriate team for your project, aligned with your stated purpose, and define responsibilities.

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Enhance Your Collaboration

Keep your team engaged in the project from launch through full implementation and respond to management challenges.

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Fine-Tune the Products

Develop strategies to identify and meet communications objectives and co-create user-relevant products with your partners.

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