You have collected the bulk of information you need, shown the client / group what you have found and received their comments. Now you are ready to analyse the data and see what it tells you.
A number of tools and techniques are available, and depending on how you use them could be seen to be part of the observation / survey phase, or the design phase.
- Input - output analysis
- Sector analysis
Key questions:
What areas of production are needed?
Are the clients / users needs and goals possible, achievable or appropriate for the site?
Input - output analysis
This is usually used to look at individual elements within a system - chickens, the shed, a vegetable patch. The inputs are listed, then the outputs and the intrinsic characteristics. How can the needs (inputs) be met by the syste? How can the outputs be utilised? How can you make use of its behaviour productively?
It can also be used to establish what a system needs overall and what it produces. It can also help to measure the viability of a plan.
- What are the costs involved in implementing the design? £/$, time, available resources etc
- Ditto for maintenance.
- What yield will the system produce?
- Where is there a shortfall in resources as things are at present?