Strategic decision

Digital transformation involving the development of FIS should be initiated from the top, and carried out within a general well-defined FIS creation or extension programme. A strategic decision establishing such a programme should be made on a policy-making level. One of the first decisions should be to define the scope of an FIS development programme. This influences the subsequent definition of the programme's objectives, the stakeholders involved and the methods and means of implementation. 

The scope of the programme will depend on the organisational and technological maturity of existing forest information systems, the policy objectives behind the programme, the funding available, and the potential benefits.  

For example, the programme may aim to (i) build a comprehensive national forest information system, (ii) create a system to support a specific part of the forestry sector, (iii) modernise and optimise existing processes, or (iv) build a well-defined system to meet specific needs.