Analysis of Your Choice Workbench

Select a method because it improves a client decision. Compare fit, define fair cases and criteria, separate evidence from inference, and export the complete scope and recommendation trail.

Review all approved options

Individual assignment 4 · 3%

Due November 18 at the start of class

Requirements and grading

Compare the options on the same terms

Use this for sites, corridors, reuse concepts, workforce approaches, or another approved comparison. Record the evidence for each option before writing your conclusion.

Comparison title Use a weighted 0–5 scoring scale

Criterion 1Common evaluation rule

Criterion 2Common evaluation rule

Criterion 3Common evaluation rule

Option	Community benefit	Practicality	Fit with the client’s priorities	Evidence and uncertainty

What do you recommend, and what tradeoff or uncertainty matters most?

Open backup

Save your progress here. Final assignments still go to Canvas.

Open backup

Save your progress here. Final assignments still go to Canvas.

1. Name the client decision

Community or projectDecision the client or team needs to makeWhat evidence is missing or weak?

2. Compare approved methods

Downtown Vacancy and OpportunityUse when: Property, block, reuse, storefront, or activation decisionsNeeds: Field observation, parcel or address list, ownership/status where confirmed, plans, market or reuse contextWatch for: Do not infer vacancy, ownership, condition, or feasibility from appearance alone.Community Health and AccessUse when: Access to services, food, recreation, care, or daily needsNeeds: Population, destinations, travel conditions, service coverage, barriers, and affected groupsWatch for: Do not make clinical claims or equate proximity with usable access.Industry and WorkforceUse when: Sector, employer, training, site, supply-chain, or workforce pathway decisionsNeeds: Employment and sector data, training capacity, sites, infrastructure, commuting, housing, and partner evidenceWatch for: Do not invent employer commitments, demand, wages, or site readiness.Multimodal MobilityUse when: Walking, biking, transit, crossings, safety, and destination connectionsNeeds: Field audit, network and crash context, destinations, right-of-way, agency guidance, and usersWatch for: A screening audit is not engineering design or a safety guarantee.Street Master Plan ComparisonUse when: Comparing two corridors or street segments for connectivity, frontage, safety, and public-realm actionNeeds: Street geometry, network context, frontage, field observation, users, destinations, and implementation constraintsWatch for: This is optional and should not become a full corridor plan without scope approval.Coded or Community-Use ToolUse when: A recurring local decision or task that can be improved by a modest accessible toolNeeds: Defined user, current workflow, inputs, transparent rules, test cases, maintenance, and handoff capacityWatch for: Do not build a tool before confirming the user, decision, data, and maintenance responsibility.

Why is Downtown Vacancy and Opportunity the best fit for this decision?

3. Define a fair comparison

Cases, places, sites, segments, sectors, users, or scenariosGeographic boundary, observation boundary, and time period

Common criteria

Every comparison unit must be assessed with the same rule.

01CriterionMeasure or observation ruleSource

02CriterionMeasure or observation ruleSource

03CriterionMeasure or observation ruleSource

4. Record what you know and how you know it

Sourced evidenceDirect observationInference from the evidenceUnknowns and limitationsAlternative explanation or response

5. Recommend a next step

Proportional recommendationLead or responsible partyPartnersFirst actionEarly measure of progressWhat evidence or condition could change the recommendation?

6. Quality control and export

Needs work | Client decision and evidence gap are explicit
Needs work | Method fit is explained
Needs work | Cases and study boundary support a fair comparison
Needs work | At least three common criteria have measures and sources
Needs work | Evidence, observation, inference, and unknowns remain separate
Needs work | An alternative explanation or response is considered
Needs work | Recommendation includes lead, first action, measure, and change condition

Choose a method only after defining the client decision and evidence gap.

Honor pledge and authorship

I pledge that I have neither given nor received help on this examination (quiz, assignment, etc.)

Student signatureDate

Permitted collaboration and material AI assistance, if any

Follow the collaboration and AI rules in the syllabus. Include your signed pledge with the final individual submission.

Open backup

Save your progress here. Final assignments still go to Canvas.

Analysis of Your Choice Workbench

Compare the options on the same terms

1. Name the client decision

2. Compare approved methods

3. Define a fair comparison

Common criteria

4. Record what you know and how you know it

5. Recommend a next step

6. Quality control and export

Honor pledge and authorship

Rural Planning and Economic Development

Course access