Project Methodology

Data Collection and Analysis Version 1.1

I. PHILOSOPHICAL GROUNDING

Element	Description	Rationale
Daoist Principles	Alignment, Elegance, Balance, Harmony applied to both physical and cognitive practice	Informs approach to adaptive practice; non-forcing, working with constraints rather than against them
Autoethnography	Self as research subject within cultural/social context; interrogating lived experience	Method for understanding broader phenomena through particular embodied experience
Embodied Knowledge	Physical practice (Qigong, Tai Chi, climbing) as epistemologically central, not supplementary	Post-stroke recovery requires attending to body; body generates knowledge
Adaptive Practice	Working within constraints (health, age, neurodivergence, medication) as the actual practice, not obstacle to it	Reflects real conditions of return to adventure; useful to others in similar positions

II. THE SIX ANALYTICAL THEMES

Theme	Focus	Key Questions	Documentation Link
A. Fitness for the Task	Physical, cognitive, emotional readiness	What makes this climb possible now? How do health management, medication, physiology support or constrain ability?	BP logs (Day One + analogue), Hume data, Strava, voice notes on readiness
B. Preparation & Execution	Planning, decision-making, real-time adaptation	How is the climb prepared? What decisions happen in-motion? How does embodied knowledge guide action?	Osmo footage, Day One reflections, voice notes during/after attempts
C. Utility for Others	Knowledge transfer, interview-based learning	What can this reveal about post-stroke recovery, adaptive practice, aging, neurodivergence? Who else is in similar positions?	Formal interviews (Osmo), Day One synthesis, emerging themes from peer conversations
D. Methodology & Technology	Tools, wearables, data, AI as method	How do devices shape understanding of embodied experience? What gaps do they reveal?	Hume data, Strava analysis, Day One patterns, technical documentation of workflow
E. Task & Documentation Process	The climb itself; representation of lived experience	What gets captured and what's lost? How does documentation shape the experience? How do different media reveal different aspects?	Osmo footage, transcripts, editing decisions, reflection on what the camera does/doesn't show
F. Critical Reflection & Suitability	Meta-analysis of the whole enterprise	Is this valid autoethnography? What are the limits? Should this extend to MRes/PhD/publication?	Red/Amber/Green analysis, tutors' feedback, interrogation of method itself

III. DATA STREAMS & CAPTURE LAYERS

Stream	Tool/Medium	Friction Level	Purpose	Cadence
Reflective	Day One (digital) + Analogue journal	Low-medium	Daily processing, pattern-finding, searchable archive	Daily
Embodied-capture	Osmo Pocket + DaVinci + transcript	Medium-high	Deliberate framing of physical practice, intentional documentation	When on hill / attempting task
Physiological	Strava + Hume band + Hume pad + manual BP logs → HealthSave	Low (automated)	Objective data anchoring subjective experience	Continuous (automated) or daily (manual)
Throwaway-thinking	TikTok + voice notes	Ultra-low	Hot thoughts, in-the-moment capture, no curation	Whenever thought arrives
Exploratory	Gemini conversations + coffee-table papers	Low	Generative thinking, random connections, may or may not become structured	As thoughts emerge
Academic/Structured	Claude for composition + Notebooks (analogue + digital replication)	High	Formal analysis, Red/Amber/Green framework, citations, argumentation	Episodic / as themes coalesce
Interview	Osmo Pocket (formal recording)	Medium	Structured conversation with others in similar positions (Theme C)	Planned / as subjects emerge

IV. TOOLS & INFRASTRUCTURE

Tool	Category	Function	Accessibility	Status
Day One	Reflective journal	Daily logging, tag-based searching, preserved reflection	Gold subscription, MCP-enabled (manual export workflow)	Active
Osmo Pocket 4	Video capture	Lightweight, framed documentation on hill	Local device	Active
DaVinci Resolve	Editing	Simple edits, transitions, transcript extraction	Mac application	Learning in use
YouTube Studio	Transcript source	Auto-transcription of Osmo footage	Browser	Active
Strava	Movement data	Heart rate, elevation, pace, distance	Connected app	Active
Hume Band + Hume Pad	Physiological data	Emotion/stress response, autonomic nervous system data	Connected to HealthSave	Band faulty (replacement ordered); Pad active
HealthSave	Data aggregation	Central hub for wearable export	Export-capable	Active
Manual BP logs	Health data	Systolic/diastolic, time, context notes	Analogue + Day One template	Active
Notebooks by Alphons Schmid	Dual capture	Analogue writing + digital replication for searchability	iPad + sync	Active
TikTok	Throwaway capture	Ultra-low-friction hot thoughts, reach potential interview subjects	App + followers from prior Tai Chi project	Active (new phase)
Gemini	Exploratory thinking	Open-ended conversations, random connections, may inform structured work	Browser	Active
Claude (this interface)	Composition & analysis	Writing, structuring argument, analytical thinking	Claude Desktop (manual Day One export) + claude.ai	Active
Gwella (website)	Publication	Publishing edited posts with embedded video + raw transcripts	WordPress + custom build	Active
Here Be Dragons (HBD)	Speculative/creative	Separate creative territory, distinct from Gwella academic work	WordPress site	Active

V. WORKFLOW: CAPTURE → ANALYSIS → PUBLICATION

Standard Osmo Content Path

Osmo Pocket (capture)
    ↓
Mac (transfer)
    ↓
DaVinci Resolve (edit + learn editing)
    ↓
YouTube Studio (upload + auto-transcript)
    ↓
Extract transcript
    ↓
Day One (log metadata + reflection)
    ↓
Gwella (publish: embedded video + raw transcript)

Day One Reflective Path

Daily entry (reflective thoughts)
    ↓
Tag by theme (A, B, C, D, E, F)
    ↓
Link to relevant data (Strava, BP, Hume)
    ↓
Searchable archive
    ↓
Export when analysis needed
    ↓
Claude (pattern analysis, theme synthesis)

Health Data Path

Strava (automatic)    |  Hume (automatic)    |  Manual BP logs
    ↓                 |      ↓               |     ↓
HealthSave (aggregated)
    ↓
Export to Claude for analysis
    ↓
Cross-reference with Day One reflections (Theme A analysis)

Throwaway → Structured Pipeline

TikTok (hot thought)  OR  Voice note (walk)  OR  Gemini (exploration)
    ↓
May or may not become structured
    ↓
If structured: Claude composition → Notebooks → Red/Amber/Green → potential publication

VI. RED/AMBER/GREEN FRAMEWORK

Applied across all documentation (not just academic essays):

Assessment	Definition	Application
RED	Claims requiring immediate citation/evidence; uncertain assertions; areas needing research	Every claim in Gwella posts, interviews, analysis must be grounded—either in data or in acknowledged limitation
AMBER	Emerging ideas, partial evidence, working hypotheses; areas where pattern is forming but needs development	Reflective entries become Amber until synthesized; interview themes stay Amber until multiple sources converge
GREEN	Well-grounded claims with supporting evidence; patterns confirmed across multiple data sources; articulated understanding	Publication-ready material; statements you can defend with reference to data

VII. HEALTH MANAGEMENT AS METHODOLOGY (Theme A)

Component	Documentation	Rationale
Medication trials	Day One (dated entries), manual notes, BP logs	Isolating drug interactions is active research; part of fitness assessment
A-Fib management	Appointment notes, nurse consultations, medication timing experiments	Cardiac stability = prerequisite for hill work; part of preparation
Qigong/Tai Chi practice	Day One logs, Hume data (stress response during/after), observation of physical capability shifts	Active health management, not separate from the project
BP tracking	Manual logs + Day One template + HealthSave export	Objective grounding for how body is responding to activity/stress
Autonomic response	Hume data cross-referenced with Day One entries and activity (Strava)	Understanding emotional/physical state during attempts
Post-stroke adaptation	Reflection on physical changes, capability shifts, what's become possible	Ongoing embodied learning from 2018 stroke

VIII. INTERVIEW PROTOCOL (Theme C)

Element	Approach	Output
Subjects	Post-stroke individuals returning to adventure (primary); others in adaptive positions (secondary lens)	Video record + transcript
Recording	Osmo Pocket (deliberate, unobtrusive framing)	Raw footage + cleaned transcript
Structure	Semi-formal; conversational; let subject's narrative lead	Thematic analysis across interviews
Consent	Explicit, documented agreement	Ethical grounding for autoethnographic work
Analysis	Pattern-finding across interviews (theme C synthesis)	What's individual vs. structural? What's transferable knowledge?

IX. PUBLICATION ARCHITECTURE

Channel	Purpose	Content Type	Audience	Status
Gwella	Autoethnographic project documentation	Video + transcript + reflection + analysis	Academic + interested general audience	Active (ongoing posts)
Here Be Dragons (HBD)	Speculative, creative, exploratory work	Essays, creative pieces, theoretical explorations	Smaller, self-selected audience	Active (distinct from Gwella)
Potential: MRes	Formal research submission	Synthesized autoethnographic study with data	Academic	Future (post-BA)
Potential: PhD	Extended autoethnographic research	Multi-year study, theory development	Academic	Future (post-MRes)
Potential: Film	Visual synthesis for Kendal Mountain Festival	Edited footage + narrative	Broader public	Future (developed through project)
Potential: Publications	Journal articles, chapters	Theme-specific analysis	Academic audiences	Future (as work develops)

X. PRACTICAL CADENCE

Phase	Timeline	Focus
Phase 1: Conditioning	April–September 2026 (Done)	System setup, tool acquisition, mental preparation, physical baseline
Phase 2: First Pitches	October 2026 onwards	Residential + tutors' input, theme clarification, first formal interviews, analysis deepening
Phase 3: Progression	Through degree + beyond	Ongoing hill attempts, data synthesis, formal analysis (Red/Amber/Green), potential MRes planning

XI. CONSTRAINTS & HONESTY

Constraint	Impact	Mitigation
Cognitive window	08:00-13:00 optimal (improving post-statin adjustment)	Schedule analytical work then; preserve other times for capture/reflection
Physical capability	Post-stroke mobility limitations; medication side effects; age-related factors	These are the data; document them as part of Theme A
Funding	Limited resources for equipment, travel, filming	Make do with what's available; constraints breed creativity
Time	Balancing degree, project, work, health management	Be realistic about pace; this isn't a sprint
Positionality	White, educated, male-presenting, privileged in many ways; post-stroke but relatively stable; older student with financial security	Acknowledge in analysis; interviews with others diversify perspective

XII. WHAT VALIDATES THIS AS AUTOETHNOGRAPHY

Criterion	Evidence
Self as subject	Lived experience of post-stroke adaptation, aging, neurodivergence, adventure return is central
Cultural context	Adventure education culture, aging narratives, disability justice, embodied knowledge traditions
Vulnerability	Health struggles, medication management, physical limitations, failures documented honestly
Reflexivity	Red/Amber/Green framework, Theme F (critical reflection), tutors' input, interrogation of method itself
Analytical interrogation	Not just documentation; asks what does this mean? across six interconnected themes
Grounding	Data (Strava, Hume, BP logs) + interviews + academic literature (to be citied in Red/Amber/Green approach)
Iterative development	This whole conversation shows thinking evolving; methodology becomes clearer through doing

XIII. NEXT STEPS

Item	Timing	Owner
Share methodology skeleton with tutors (Jason, Richard, Nicole)	During residential (Sept 27–Oct 4)	User
Develop interview protocol; identify first subjects	October onwards	User + Claude (support)
Begin formal theme synthesis from existing Day One entries	Post-residential	User + Claude (export + analysis)
Red/Amber/Green assessment of existing Gwella posts	October-November	User
Film development discussions with Paul Read	As project develops	User
MRes planning / academic positioning	During/after degree	User + tutors

End Methodology Skeleton

This document is working material—intended to be developed further as conditions change - inspiration from Bochner & Ellis, Hightower-Weaver, Adams, Jones & Ellis, Bayes, Gall's Law, Keynes, Darwin, Marx, Occam, Goodhart