DPSIR Process

We will now present several examples to illustrate how a DPSIR framework can be built to assist decision-makers with a particular problem or management concern.

The basic steps to building a DPSIR concept map are to

• Define the system, problem, or management concern
• List key concepts or keywords related to the concern
• Determine concepts or keywords that are linked uphill (causing the problem) or downhill (result from the problem) to the central topic.
• Continue building uphill/downhill until all five sections of DPSIR are filled with relevant, linked concepts

The flexibility of the DPSIR framework allows the initial concept to be anywhere within DPSIR, depending on the specific economic, ecological, or management concerns of the decision maker.  Although starting with a narrow set of concerns, framing the problem within DPSIR encourages the decision-maker to adopt a systems approach, and think about the uphill and downhill challenges to the problem within the larger system.