Bees are vital for pollination, supporting numerous crops and wild plants. However, recent reports show a significant decline in Wisconsin’s bee populations, reflecting a global trend and threatening biodiversity, agricultural productivity, and ecosystem health. Identifying the factors behind this decline is crucial for targeted interventions.This project focuses on uncovering the primary causes of declining bee populations in Wisconsin. Key activities included reviewing literature, conducting interviews and surveys with local stakeholders, analyzing environmental and agricultural data, and pinpointing the main factors contributing to the decline.
Identifying Key Factors Driving Bee Population Decline in Wisconsin
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Project Objective
Roles:
Project Management: Managed documentation and ensured timely execution across all project phases, overseeing the creation of detailed timelines and coordinating team efforts.
Branding and Design: Led the development of the project’s visual identity, creating all brandingelements and communication materials to ensure a unified and professional presentation.
Research: Participated in researching bee population trends in Wisconsin, conducting literature reviews and engaging with stakeholders through interviews and surveys for comprehensive insights.
Primary and Secondary Research
Objective & Methodology
For the primary research phase, we utilized empathy maps to understand the personal experiences and perspectives of key stakeholders in the beekeeping community. This involved analyzing existing empathy maps and conducting new interviews with beekeepers and related stakeholders during events like the Wisconsin Honey Producers Conference. The data collected from these interactions provided nuanced insights into the thoughts, feelings, actions, and challenges of individuals directly involved in beekeeping.
The secondary research phase involved an extensive review of existing literature and reports on the declining bee populations in Wisconsin and globally. This included academic papers, governmental and environmental reports, and previous studies on bee health, agricultural impacts, and environmental stressors. The aim was to synthesize and understand the broader context and identify factors previously reported to affect bee populations, thereby guiding the focus of the primary research phase.
Key Insights
- Research highlighted Varroa mites and pesticide use as critical threats to bee health. Agricultural practices exacerbate these issues.
- There is a significant knowledge gap among new beekeepers. Additionally, there is a need for younger individuals to sustain the practice.
- Interest in technological solutions, like drones and innovative mite treatments, aligns with a growing demand for sustainable beekeeping practices.
- Changes in weather patterns affect bee nutrition and survival. Urban development and the reduction of natural habitats further stress the bees.
- Modern techniques and stocked hives sometimes conflict with efforts to promote bee health. This indicates a need for practice evaluation and adjustment.
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Insights Analysis
Part 1: Affinity Mapping
After collecting extensive data through our primary and secondary research, the natural next step was to make sense of it. As a team, we affinity mapped all the data and created headings to identify overarching themes. We developed five problem statements, which we turned into HMWs (How Might We statements) shown below. From there, we decided to narrow these down even further.
Part 2: Narrowing Down
Based on insights from our research, we developed a methodology for selecting key challenges to address major threats to bee populations. Our criteria focused on challenges that:
- Require minimal governmental action for quicker, flexible solutions.
- Enhance public knowledge and community collaboration.
- Are actionable without specialized knowledge, widening potential contributor bases.
- Allow diverse stakeholder participation to boost collaboration.
- Offer multiple solution avenues, fostering adaptability and creativity.
After further narrowing down, these three challenges were meant to serve as the output of the research and empathy phase and also as a starting point of our next project - ideating on potential solutions to start to solve this big wicked problem.
Overarching challenges being narrowed down.
Project Outcomes
Deliverables
We delivered a comprehensive presentation to key stakeholders, outlining the project's findings, methodologies, and insights. Additionally, we produced a detailed handout that summarized the project's findings and recommendations while also explaining the methodologies employed, such as empathy, stakeholder, and affinity mapping. This handout served as a valuable reference tool for stakeholders, ensuring they had access to both the outcomes and the process behind the project's execution.
Key Learnings
- Sustaining Group Cohesion: I've learned that effective organization and clear communication are crucial for keeping a group dynamic healthy. It's amazing how much efficient collaboration and steady progress depend on these elements.
- Navigating Complex Challenges: Tackling complex or 'wicked' problems can feel overwhelming at first. Gathering detailed information and using analytical tools like empathy mapping, stakeholder mapping, and affinity mapping have shown me the importance of recognizing patterns and underlying issues. These tools have been invaluable in breaking down the complexity.
- Leveraging Community Engagement: I've discovered the incredible value of community engagement. Tapping into the willingness of community members to share their knowledge and offer assistance has been a game-changer, helping to make vital connections that propel the project's goals forward.
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Slides from our stakeholder presentation.
