The often large gaps between the views of professional scientists and those of the general public (Funk et al., 2015), suggest that the public's science literacy leaves something to be desired (Crowther et al., 2016).
After having identified recurrent gaps between scientific and lay knowledge around drought risk in UK, the DRY Project team was involved in a complex participatory process to co-design with stakeholders from a variety of sectors an online ‘Utility Tool’ in which science and community knowledge were merged through storytelling.
DRY is a 4-year project, funded under the RCUK Drought and Water Scarcity Programme, with the aim of developing an evidence-based resource for drought risk management in which scientific data and multiple narratives are brought together to facilitate decision-making processes and improve community resilience.
Working from the premise that storytelling has value in enabling different forms of knowledge, inclusivity and capitals (Goldstein 2013; Constant & Roberts 2017; Valentine & Sadgrove 2014), this paper critically reflects on our learning experience around evolving approaches to facilitate stakeholders’ engagement for the development of the ‘DRY Utility Tool’.
It will explore in particular stakeholders’ role in choosing and shaping the methodology and evaluating the two main tools: the ‘DRY Story Bank’ to make stories accessible, searchable and usable, and the ‘DRY Story Map’ to triangulate narrative, science and place.
It will also describe how developing those tools, revealed a critical tension around the interaction between facts and opinions, data and personal memories, and stimulated a deeper reflection on the beliefs that drive people’s behaviours
