Documentation📄: The FLINT Analysis Handbook

What is the current documentation state?

Examples of FLINT analysis typically come with pre-processed input data, but don't necessarily describe how to generate the necessary data inputs or how to customise them to new areas.

Where is this stated?

The examples on docs.moja.global include a three pool example model, the Rothamsted Soil Carbon model (RothC) and perhaps the Chapman Richards forest growth curve. A description of how to use these models for analysis is not provided.

The GCBM training package available from NRCan and on our YouTube channel describe a hypothetical area of British Colombia, Canada. We have other examples of the GCBM being applied in Chile, Belize and Colombia. The steps are documented, but sometimes split across multiple documents or repos.

Why do you want to improve the statement?

The FLINT Analysis Handbook should provide explanation and interpretation of input datasets and results of common FLINT models, acting as a consolidated reference for FLINT users.

Proposed Statement

We have some excellent notebooks created by @yodavo for the GCBM inputs, as well as pre- and post-processing examples from @juliancabezas. @padmajabhol has been creating notebooks on the relevant data types, and has been exploring how to render them on our docs site using nbsphinx. @mfellows has developed several useful tools, referenced in the NRCan training package and included in the Standalone GCBM, available from NRCan or https://github.com/moja-global/moja.canada

We should aim to consolidate these resources at docs.moja.global

Additional context.

We have applied to Google Season of Documentation to hire a technical writer to drive this effort.

Resources

• https://github.com/yodavo/moja-global-analysis
• https://github.com/padmajabhol/LFX-mentorship-progress-tracker/tree/main/FLINT-Datatype
• https://github.com/moja-global/GCBM.Chile.Data_Preprocessing
• https://github.com/moja-global/GCBM.Belize/tree/master/Standalone_GCBM
• https://github.com/moja-global/GCBM.CompileResults
• https://github.com/moja-global/moja.canada/tree/develop/Files/Util/CompileGCBMSpatialOutput
• https://github.com/moja-global/FLINT.Data_Preprocessing
• (Growth curves) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Z20Qyk41J7dwPWHyk7wn_WBgZ05niu8A?usp=sharing

Start by reviewing the existing examples on docs.moja.global and the linked analysis, datatype, preprocessing, and compilation resources. Check the existing notebook work and nbsphinx exploration, then map how these materials could be consolidated into the FLINT Analysis Handbook. Done means users can find explanations of common model inputs, analysis steps, and result interpretation in one documentation location.