Information needs in groundwater protection policy: Agenda-setting for knowledge development

Water policymaking strongly depends on expert knowledge, and yet there is a gap between policy makers and research professionals. This article addresses this issue by presenting a conceptual framework and method for identification of information needs in a particular policymaking context. The framework deduces information needs not only from pertaining laws and regulations, but also from strategic stakeholder behavior that can be anticipated in this context. The outcome is then matched with empirically observed information needs and available knowledge. Framework and method have been applied to the Dutch groundwater protection policy situation, establishing their effectiveness in exploring strategies to stimulate knowledge development to match stakeholder information needs. specializing in water management. He recently graduated on the main subject of policy analysis (MSc in 2001). He did his thesis research project at the Netherlands Institute of Geological Science TNO—National Geological Survey. Educated in the field of computer science at Leiden University (MSc in 1985), his research interests have moved from decision support systems (PhD from Delft University of Technology in 1989) to methods and tools for policy analysis in general. He currently focuses on the development of Dynamic Actor Network Analysis (DANA) and a Modeling Environment for Design Impact Assessment (MEDIA).