Modules
Conservation by Design comprises nine modules, each representing a key step in conservation planning, designed to efficiently guide teams through strategy development.
Jump to Module DescriptionsConservation by Design is made up of nine modules—customized packages of resources designed to help conservation teams work through strategy planning steps in a time-bound, efficient manner. Each module represents one of the key steps in conservation planning.
Ready to explore the Conservation by Design modules? Let’s dive in.
Effective, Efficient, Accessible
Conservation by Design Modules
Getting Started with the Modules
Now that the modules are ready, we are shifting our focus to building the capacity needed at TNC to support the successful implementation of Conservation by Design. Feedback from staff when developing the modules indicates that a trained facilitator is invaluable for using the modules effectively and efficiently. The Retrospective module is the only module that does not require a trained facilitator at this time.
If you are a TNC staff member planning to implement one or more modules, we highly encourage you to check out our support page to get started.
Stay tuned for updates. If you want to take a look at the modules to evaluate whether they are the right fit for your team, you can find them below.
Roles
Who Participates?
The Conservation by Design Modules
Access the modules below to evaluate whether they are the right fit for your team's needs.
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Integrating Equity
Build capacity to develop and improve more equitable strategies. EXPLORE MODULE
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Retrospective
Reflect on past work to harness learnings for future work. EXPLORE MODULE
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Planning Scope
Define and align on the scope of the strategy development process. EXPLORE MODULE
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Interested Parties
Identify and prepare to engage interested parties to support an inclusive process. EXPLORE MODULE
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Defining Objectives
Identify what the team aims to maintain or improve for nature and people. EXPLORE MODULE
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Situation Analysis
Understand the system and identify leverage points for action. EXPLORE MODULE
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Strategy Selection
Identify, evaluate, and select strategies to pursue. EXPLORE MODULE
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Theory of Change
Articulate how planned actions will lead to desired outcomes. EXPLORE MODULE
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Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Develop a MEL plan to focus learning on key assumptions in the theory of change. EXPLORE MODULE
Scenarios
Not sure what module to use next? These common scenarios may help you decide.
Expanding Partnerships
A team wants to take a successful strategy to the next level.
This team might start with the Integrating Equity module to center equity in the partnerships they seek to build.
Once they’ve clarified their Planning Scope, the team can proceed to the Interested Parties module to reflect on who is connected to this work and how they might be brought into the planning process.
Finally, after updating their strategy to include these expanded partnerships (possibly using the Strategy Selection module), the team should also update their Theory of Change and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning plan to focus their learning while implementing the newly expanded strategy.
Changing Conditions
An unforeseen external circumstance presents new obstacles.
If there is a significant change to external conditions—such as an economic downturn—the planning team could start by revisiting their Situation Analysis to better understand how the change might affect their work.
Depending on their insights, they might proceed to several different modules. For example, if they realize they need a better understanding of who is impacted and how, the Interested Parties module would be a good next step.
The team can then use their new understandings to refresh their strategies, using the Strategy Selection module, and then update their Theory of Change accordingly.
Significant Milestones
A team is embarking on a new stage of work.
A major strategic expansion or shift—such as scoping a new high-risk, high-reward effort or achieving a key intermediate result—is the perfect opportunity for a team to work through some or all of the Conservation by Design modules.
Some teams, especially those with complex or high-risk strategies, may also choose to make a comprehensive review of Conservation by Design a regularly recurring part of their process, integrated with their annual portfolio management cycle.
A regular review of the Theory of Change and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning modules, which complement and inform each other, can also help a team identify when a deeper dive into the rest of the modules is necessary.
Testimonials
“Aligning on our team’s objectives [through the Defining Objectives module] proved essential to our ability to make the case for which strategies we ultimately committed to. Spending time upfront to define objectives pays off immensely later in the planning process."
— Alison Bowden,
Director of Conservation Science and Strategy
TNC Massachusetts (U.S.)
“The Retrospective module has effectively responded to our need to work as a team to document, reflect, learn, and adjust our work to accelerate our impact. It is applicable to different contexts (e.g., projects, programs), agile, effective, and incorporates fundamental elements of Conservation by Design such as equity. The Retrospective module also helped bring back fond memories and awaken the passion for our work, while strengthening our team’s learning culture and cohesion.”
— Juana Figueroa,
Conservation Planner,
TNC Colombia
Ready to get started?
Visit our support page