In addition to analysing the stakeholders and potential user groups, the portal's relevant subject areas were identified and described. These include politics, legal and regulatory framework conditions, information technology, cooperation options, science and society.

In addition, selected existing websites relevant to the Monitoring Centre's portal were analysed with regard to possible interfaces, functionalities and necessary differentiations from other portals, for example.

Essential questions for the further portal conception were derived in each case and were taken up in the further process. Some fundamental questions were raised, for instance:

• What niche does the portal occupy?
• How will it be used? How will it be different from existing initiatives?
• Should it be everything? Information AND data AND networking portal?

More than 800 people from the biodiversity monitoring community took part in the Monitoring Centre’s survey on portal development between February and March 2024, with 523 completing the full questionnaire. The survey aimed to identify general preferences and initial requirements for a national biodiversity monitoring portal that is user-friendly, relevant, and reliable. Participants came from a broad range of backgrounds – including associations, research, government, business, and the public – offering valuable insights into the diverse needs of future users. The results can be found in the interim report.

In parallel to the survey, requirement assessment workshops and interviews were conducted to further define and refine the use cases. Through this process, over 200 user stories and best practice suggestions have already been collected. A wide range of needs were identified, which can be grouped into the following overarching categories:

• Provide access to data and filters
• Providing an overview of monitoring programmes
• Improve data quality and provide metadata
• Highlight collaborators and promote networking among stakeholders
• Evaluate data quality and usability
• Provide curated materials and information
• Develop APIs and standards
• Link existing structures

The following key messages from the needs analysis provide the foundation for shaping the future content and focus of the information and networking portal.

1. The portal should serve as a central hub for biodiversity monitoring by the monitoring community.
2. The portal should provide direction, highlighting the "biodiversity data and expert information scattered across different institutions".
3. The requirements and assumptions from the initial concept of the Monitoring Centre are validated by the needs analysis.
4. In addition to access to curated data and knowledge via the portal, which was mentioned by almost all participants, a (complementary) offer of active networking opportunities was mentioned less frequently.
5. There is a high demand for information on monitoring activities and their stakeholders, as well as for consolidated findings, in particular from nationwide monitoring programmes.
6. In a first base version, consolidated information on existing data (where it is located, how to access it) is more important than direct access to raw data.
7. A powerful search and filter facility is essential.
8. Users expect scientific content on biodiversity status, trends and actions.
9. High data quality and timeliness are critical.
10. International information relevant to biodiversity monitoring in Germany should be integrated.
11. National and international cooperation is important, with strategic partnerships playing a key role.
12. Analytical tools are expected in the portal.
13. A step-by-step development of the portal is recommended, starting with a lean base version that already provides significant added value.
14. From a technical point of view, the portal needs to enable exchange with other stakeholders and access to data and information. Standards and open interfaces should be used to achieve this.

Key insights from the development of use cases for the information and networking portal concept:

1.  Use cases and user stories: A total of 130 use cases have been developed based on user stories gathered from the monitoring community’s needs analysis. These have been grouped into13 functional areas: API, Operations, Data Entry, Thematic Introduction, Core Application, Content Editing, Educational and Information Materials, Monitoring Activities, User Community, User Management, (Raw) Data, Search/Information, and Events.
2. Prioritisation: The use cases are divided into three priority levels: base version, future extensions, and out-of-scope items.
3. Prioritisation criteria: Key criteria for prioritising use cases include user value, alignment with the Monitoring Centre’s objectives, representativeness, complexity, frequency of user requirements raised during analysis, and implementation costs.
4. Core functions of the base version: The most important functions for the first portal release are the core application (interface, landing page, navigation) and search/information functionalities.
5. Main content themes: The base version of the portal will focus on a detailed, filterable overview of monitoring programmes, networking within the monitoring community, and the publication of results.
6. Modular architecture: The functional areas listed above will be integrated into modules to enable the step-by-step expansion of the portal.
7. Interface design: High-fidelity mock-ups have been created for key pages such as the welcome page, search page, detail view, and for one data story.
8. Non-functional requirements: Essential non-functional requirements include intuitive user guidance, clear and consistent interfaces, portal performance, and accessibility. Initial specifications have been defined for these aspects.
9. System architecture: The first draft of the system architecture defines clear user groups, a division of system components, and external systems.
10. External integration: Interfaces for data import and export with external systems will require technical and legal clarification, to be specified in the next project phases.

Building on the existing target framework, a strategic vision for the portal has been developed. It outlines the current context, mission and vision, as well as the strategic action areas with their respective objectives. In addition, the core principles, values, and unique features of the portal have been defined.

The key outputs of this strategic vision are:

1. the definition of the components of the strategic vision,
2. the finalised strategic vision document for the portal, and
3. the goal matrix tool supporting strategic alignment.

A summary of the formulated strategic vision is available for download on this webpage.

The concept outlines the infrastructural and organisational prerequisites for implementation. It defines a base version and sketches out potential extensions for future development phases.
The results confirm the framework established in the preliminary concept and highlight the broad, mandate-independent support for the portal within the community. Collaboration with related initiatives is identified as a key factor for success.

By offering significantly expanded and interlinked content, the portal will provide an enhanced service compared to the Monitoring Centre’s current web presence.

The main thematic components of the base version are summarised below:

• Filterable overviews of monitoring programmes, experts, and other stakeholders within the monitoring community
• Visualisation of reporting obligations, sampling designs, and data flows across nationwide monitoring programmes
• Interactive mapping applications
• A comprehensive, cross-database indexed search function
• Visualised pilot projects featuring processed data and workflows for the community
• Presentation of ongoing processes and products of the Monitoring Centre
• An expanded events calendar and news ticker

• The portal’s primary goal is to serve as a guide and central access point for users.
• Focus on current, relevant content and best practices.
• Key topics: background information, overviews of monitoring programmes and key actors.

• The base version, including key functions and content, should be developed swiftly. Implement first – optimise later: avoid overly long analysis phases and feedback loops.
• Recommendation: stop continuously collecting new requirements and focus on delivering initial priority topics.
• Develop (internal) prototypes for specific components or features to test and refine approaches.

Keep content systematically up to date and establish a networked structure that enables regular updates and the integration of emerging topics.

Ensure early and clear communication about the portal’s content, objectives, roadmap, and added value – both internally (within BfN and related committees) and externally (across the monitoring community)..

• Define responsibilities clearly between Monitoring Centre headquarters, BfN, and external service providers.
• Establish editorial workflows to ensure consistent and coordinated content management.
• Set up a dedicated, compact portal team with clearly defined roles and decision-making processes to reduce editorial complexity and enable quick responses to change.
• Start and test early – ideally using an in-house technical testing environment.
• Document decision processes using an Architectural Decision Record (ADR) to record what was decided, when, and why – ensuring transparency and traceability of key architectural choices.

On 15 May 2025, the Monitoring Centre hosted the first cooperation workshop on ‘Nationwide Biodiversity Monitoring’. Over 60 experts discussed key requirements for data management and information transfer for the planned portal. Among other things, they agreed on the structured collection and presentation of nationwide monitoring programmes in a revised form, the recording of data flows and initial pilot projects for the visualisation of monitoring data (‘data stories’). In addition, requirements such as metadata standards, taxonomic harmonisation and legally compliant framework conditions were identified. In future, the Monitoring Centre will provide networking and support tools via the portal. 

On 18 and 19 November 2024, the Monitoring Centre hosted the third ‘Application and Research in Dialogue’ forum in Leipzig. With the theme of 'People.Knowledge.Data – Connecting for Biodiversity', over 70 experts from the fields of research, administration, professional associations, and voluntary organisations came together to discuss the essential requirements for a biodiversity portal in Germany. The published documentation summarises key ideas, discussion results and recommendations for action.