This is an overview of the development timeline for many Public Lab tools and techniques. Not all Public Lab tools follow this exact sequence, but this reflects some common steps in the development of a new environmental monitoring technique. 

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We may mark tools like the [spectrometer](/wiki/spectrometer) or [WheeStat](/wiki/wheestat) with notices like:

<div class="alert">This tool is a <a href="/wiki/tool-development">prototype</a>; it is still under development by people like you</div>

<div class="alert alert-success">This tool has been <a href="/wiki/tool-development">thoroughly tested in the field</a>.</div>


_some suggested major or minor milestones:_

##Problem Definition
Define the problem as the impacted community sees it.

##Data Standard/Literature Review
 Define the data needed for community defined outcomes around the problem.

##State of the Art/Literature Review
Figure out how that data is usually collected.

##Design thinking/Prototyping
Brainstorm/prototype cheaper ways to collect that data that are usable by the community that needs the data.

##Field Assessment
Evaluate the usability of the design for the community, and compare data from prototypes to data from the usual methods.

##Outcomes Assessment of Solutions
Did the methods use assist the community in achieving their defined outcomes?

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Initial post-it brainstorm of the history tag:

[![tool-dev-ladder.jpg](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/297/medium/tool-dev-ladder.jpg)](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/297/original/tool-dev-ladder.jpg)

[![Screen_Shot_2014-10-29_at_11.03.07_AM.png](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/733/medium/Screen_Shot_2014-10-29_at_11.03.07_AM.png)](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/733/original/Screen_Shot_2014-10-29_at_11.03.07_AM.png)

[https://flic.kr/p/bD3Gi7](https://flic.kr/p/bD3Gi7)

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###Mockups

Thinking about Github Pulse: https://github.com/Leaflet/Leaflet/pulse

Possible mockup:

[![Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_5.05.36_PM.png](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/771/original/Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_5.05.36_PM.png)](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/771/original/Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_5.05.36_PM.png)


[![Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_5.17.47_PM.png](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/773/original/Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_5.17.47_PM.png)](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/773/original/Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_5.17.47_PM.png)

Be careful with solely relying on color. Using different hash textures or adding some iconography to augment the color will help immensely for people with color deficiencies.

Ideas for how to represent the tool development timeline in terms of research 

####Research history for Spectrometer

Notes|Details|Likes|Views|Responses
:--------------:|:--------------:|:--------------:|:--------------:|:--------------:|:--------------:
[234]()|01/13/14 by [warren](/profile/warren)|&#9733;&#9733;&#9733;|244 views|1 responses
[204]()|01/10/14 by [mathew](/profile/mathew)|&#9733;&#9733;|135 views| 
[141]()|12/13/13 by [cfastie](/profile/cfastie)|&#9733;&#9733;&#9733;&#9733;&#9733;&#9733;|124 views| 
[25]()|11/04/13 by [shannon](/profile/shannon)| |543 views|2 responses

###Examples

Monograph.io screenshot:

[![Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_4.11.32_PM.png](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/772/original/Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_4.11.32_PM.png)](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/008/772/original/Screen_Shot_2015-02-03_at_4.11.32_PM.png)