Data & Methodology

MODULE SYLLABUS

📖4 min read

Module Overview


Est. time	~30 minutes
Type	Methodology — the research lifecycle
Prerequisites	Module 01 — The 3D World
Read first	Research Gate — the lifecycle overview and checklist

Description

A reconstruction is only as defensible as its process. This module installs the research lifecycle: define, collect, preserve, process, analyze, validate & report. It turns the defensibility baseline into an actionable workflow — seven stages, one pass/fail checklist — so a BVI reconstruction is not just a compelling visualization but a defensible piece of analysis.

What You'll Be Able to Do

By the end of this module you will be able to:

Define a research question and approach before gathering data
Collect and document sources with full provenance
Preserve and store evidence so originals survive tampering and loss
Process data while documenting every change
Analyze with a declared method and honest measurement
Validate and report with a verdict a reviewer can check

What's Inside

This module is organized as the data lifecycle — each stage builds on the last:

Define· intro

Before you gather anything, fix what you are actually answering. A stated research question, a declared approach, and a methodology framework turn a reconstruction from an opinion into a documented investigation.

You'll learn: How to frame a research question and set up a methodology you can document from the first step.

Collect· 8 min read

Every source you use must be accounted for: what it is, where it came from, when you obtained it, and whether it is authentic. This is where the chain of custody begins, and a gap here undermines everything that follows.

You'll learn: The source registry, what to record for each source, and the authenticity gate that decides if a source is usable.

Preserve & Store· 6 min read

The originals must be protected and verifiable. That means a master archive, a SHA-256 hash for every file, working copies you actually edit, and a naming scheme that survives hand-off.

You'll learn: The organizational mindset behind an evidence-grade archive — originals never touched, copies always traceable.

Process· 4 min read

Raw sources rarely arrive ready to model. Processing turns them into usable assets — and every transformation has to be logged, because a change you cannot document is a claim you cannot defend.

You'll learn: Source intelligence, and the guardrails that keep processing honest and reversible.

Analyze· 12 min read

This is where the model meets the method. You anchor to ground truth, isolate the objects of interest, and carry measurement error through the chain — so the numbers you report are the numbers the evidence actually supports.

You'll learn: How to quantify uncertainty honestly and state the limits of what your data can determine.

Validate & Report· 8 min read

A reconstruction is not done when it looks right; it is done when it can be checked. The scene is assembled, verified against the sources, confidence is visualized, and the report states what was found, how, and where it is limited.

You'll learn: How to present a reconstruction — with its limitations and margins — that an independent reviewer can actually verify.

Collaborate· 3 min read

The last gate is a second set of eyes. Shared boards, a well-organized scene, and clean file sharing let someone else walk your logic and find what you cannot.

You'll learn: How independent review works as a review gate, and what to prepare so the check is fast and useful.

Knowledge Check

Test your understanding of the module before moving on. Ten questions with immediate feedback; the question order and options reshuffle on every attempt.