🎉New! EOTEC Launches Online Guidance on EO Capacity Needs Assessment

EOTEC DevNet is excited to announce the launch of a new, community-driven resource to help Earth observation (EO) capacity builders cut through the complexity of needs assessment. 

Currently in beta, the online, interactive guidance synthesizes global experience on how to conduct EO capacity building needs assessments. It distills five foundational steps of an effective assessment and curates practical tools, examples, templates, and tips drawn from real-world practice. 

Designed as a living document, it will evolve with input from the broader EO and geospatial community.

This guidance was produced by the EOTEC Secretariat with help from Community of Practice volunteers at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León Department of Geomatics, Eurisy, NASA Earth Action, and EO College. It is based on lessons learned across EOTEC DevNet’s regional networks and the experience of agencies that regularly design, deliver, and evaluate EO and other sector-specific types of needs assessment. Sincere thanks to the volunteers who made this guidance possible!

Its objective is to help training providers, capacity builders, and partners identify and tailor approaches to meet their specific needs and contexts.

Why EO Capacity Building Needs Assessments Matter

An EO capacity building needs assessment is a structured process for identifying the gaps, priorities, and opportunities that can strengthen the effective use of Earth observation and geospatial data. 

Rather than simply cataloging needs, a well-designed assessment looks across the full ecosystem required for effective EO uptake: technical skills, scientific knowledge, infrastructure, data access, institutional arrangements, and the enabling environment. Importantly, it examines how these elements interact. 

Help Shape the Next Version

Because this resource is in beta, community contributions are essential. Do you have:

• An example of an EO capacity building needs assessment?
• A tool, method, or template others could adapt?
• Suggestions on topics to include or ways to improve the guidance?
• We invite you to share your feedback and resources at secretariat@eotecdev.net.