Suggestions for work on the Case Study

Don't forget that you are required to write a learning diary from this phase onwards. Please use the Learning Diary template. Download: Learning diary.

Besides making your approach to the Case Study transparent for your teacher and allowing you to reflect on your learning process, the learning diary as well as the task plan and the workflow diagrams (see below) can help you to structure and plan your work.

First Steps

Carefully read both habitat information sheets
List the habitat requirements of mountain goats bighorn sheep
Spend some time to have a look at all available geodata
Read the metadata for all geodata

Remember: there is not one correct solution to this Case Study. Instead, various approaches are possible.

Planning

Task plan

Organize and plan your work sequence – from planning to presentation – using a task plan. Set milestones and estimate the time required for each task. At the end of each phase, compare the time it took to complete the task to your target time. Please use the Task Plan template. Download: Task plan.

Workflow diagrams

Set up two workflow diagrams for GIS data processing (one per animal species). First develop a rough sketch for your workflow diagrams which includes at least the following information:

Input data
How the input data are combined (your solution strategy)
Output data and results

This first draft is not meant to be a perfect solution scheme but your main idea and solution strategy should become clear.
You will present your task plan and your workflow diagram to your class and discuss them with your classmates. After successfully completing this phase (green light from your supervisor) you can begin the implementation phase.

The trial-and-error experience during the implementation phase will help you to continuously refine your workflow diagram and eventually to come up with detailed diagrams showing your approach and the corresponding process steps.

Implementation

Proceed with your data preparation and analysis according to your task plan and workflow diagrams. Refine your diagrams step by step to document your approach in a traceable way.

The expected results for this phase are:

Translating quantitative and qualitative information about habitat requirements into a GIS analysis
Processing and analysis of raster and vector data
Refinement of your workflow (and the corresponding workflow diagram)
Production of figures for the final presentation

Information exchange

During the final event you will give a 10 minute presentation on your approach and your results. Following the presentation there will be a discussion.

Since different solution strategies are possible, this phase will allow you to get to know and discuss the strategies used by your fellow students.

Evaluation

The evaluation of your work will be based on:

Your preparation of a task plan, a workflow diagram and a learning diary
Your conversion of habitat requirements into a GIS analysis
The presentation of your findings
Your participation during the sessions (discussions)