In the search of solutions for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), decision-makers frequently face governance-related challenges such as the fragmentation of institutions, the interconnection with other essential services and overlapping competences. In many cases, solutions to these challenges involve strengthening coordination between different actors and sectors.

This article written by several researchers from Ecologic Institute provides a review of different digital tools and resources available to support related decision-making processes in the search for solutions for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Furthermore, it introduces the Diagnostic Water Governance Tool (DWGT) that builds on a clear diagnosis-therapy-logic.

The article aims to advance the understanding of the potential of digital tools to foster water governance and management in general. It also investigates how the selection of influential factors of a certain water governance system can be derived in an empirically sound way. Based on this it is illustrated how the DWGT, which follows a clear diagnosis-therapy logic, establishes a link between the status of the governance system and governance recommendations.

The introduction of the DWGT demonstrates that digital solutions have the potential to drive innovation and help overcome barriers created by limited capacity in water resources and water management practice. However, the authors of the article emphasize that expert assessments remain essential to test the derived recommendations of the DWGT and to implement them in practice, adapted if necessary.