A good results chain should meet the following criteria:
- Starts with a key challenge and ends in a desirable state.
- Articulates specific intended outcomes for conservation targets and human well-being interests.
- Captures major additional outcomes (benefits and risks).
- Contains links that are based on clear causal connections.
- Is clear about what is changing compared to current conditions as a result of the conservation action.
- Contains sufficient intermediate results to construct logical connections toward the desired outcome, such that someone not familiar with the project could follow the logic.