update-readme

README.md

@@ -1,22 +1,36 @@
-# The on-line guide for decentralized testing with the tricot approach
+# The on-line guide for product use testing in agriculture
 
-> Rachel Chase, Kauê de Sousa, Marie-Angélique Laporte, Béla Teeken, Rhys Manners, Joost van Heerwaarden, Hugo Dorado, [...], Jacob van Etten
+The tricot approach (triadic comparison of technology options) is a participatory method designed for product use testing in agriculture. It has been applied in on-farm trials, consumer testing, concept evaluation, and iterative product development. The approach leverages citizen science to generate robust, scalable insights across diverse environments and user contexts. Here's how it integrates into different aspects of product use testing:
 
-The tricot approach (triadic comparison of technology options) is a participatory [@vanetten_tricot], decentralized method where participants test three randomly assigned options on their use context. Using citizen science, it integrates participatory insights and site-specific data to guide breeding and agricultural innovation. Scalable and cost-effective, tricot empowers farmers and enhances crop diversity and resilience.
+1. On-Farm Testing
 
-## Online Reading
+Farmers receive three randomly assigned technology options (e.g., seed varieties, fertilizers) and independently evaluate their performance under local conditions. No direct supervision is required, making it cost-effective and scalable, especially in remote areas. Data collection focuses on farmer-reported outcomes such as yield, resilience, and preference, linked to environmental metadata (e.g., soil, climate), socio-economic metadata (e.g., market preferences, household dynamics, management practices) and DNA metadata.
 
-You can read this book online at the following link:
+2. Consumer Testing
 
-[https://agrdatasci.github.io/documentation/](https://agrdatasci.github.io/documentation/)
+Tricot integrates consumer preferences for end-use products (e.g., taste, cooking quality, shelf life). Farmers and end-users assess outputs from tested options (e.g., crops, processed goods) to ensure alignment with market demands. The approach helps bridge the gap between agricultural production and consumer needs by combining field performance with end-user satisfaction.
+
+3. Concept Testing
+
+Tricot can be used to evaluate broader concepts, such as innovative farming practices, new varieties and agroforestry designs. Participants compare three alternatives in usability, practicality, or benefits, ensuring the development of context-specific solutions. This iterative testing phase supports refining ideas before large-scale implementation.
+
+4. Farmer-Centric Data and Decision Support
+
+By empowering farmers as co-researchers, tricot generates farmer-driven data, enriching breeding programs and product development pipelines. Insights into environmental interactions and user preferences guide demand-driven breeding and agricultural innovation. The ClimMob[https://climmob.net/] Platform enable real-time data collection, analysis, and visualization to inform decision-making.
 
-## Contributors
+5. Scaling and Adaptation
 
-<a href="https://github.com/AgrDataSci/documentation/graphs/contributors">
-  <img src="https://contrib.rocks/image?repo=AgrDataSci/documentation&max=100" />
-</a>
+Tricot's simplicity allows broad implementation across geographies, crops, and technologies. The model is adaptable to low-resource settings, supporting smallholders while enabling private sector product testing. It also fosters inclusivity, involving women, youth, and marginalized groups in the innovation process.
 
-Contributions are welcome to supplement, correct, and translate the content of this book. Please submit PRs for any changes.
+6. Outcomes and Impact
+
+Enhances crop diversity and resilience by tailoring recommendations to local needs. Increases adoption rates by aligning product characteristics with farmer and consumer preferences. Supports sustainable and climate-adaptive agriculture by integrating real-world testing with robust scientific analysis. In summary, the tricot approach is a dynamic, end-to-end solution for product use testing in agriculture, integrating farmer trials, consumer insights, and conceptual testing. It drives innovation by prioritizing user needs, ensuring product relevance, and enabling resilient and inclusive agricultural systems.
+
+## Online Reading
+
+You can read this book on-line at the following link:
+
+[https://agrdatasci.github.io/documentation/](https://agrdatasci.github.io/documentation/)
 
 ## License
 See [LICENSE](./LICENSE) for details.

docs/01-introduction-to-tricot/introduction.md

@@ -4,8 +4,30 @@ sidebar_position: 1
 
 # Introduction to the tricot approach 
 
-> Jacob van Etten, Jonathan Steinke, Kauê de Sousa, Rachel Chase
+> Jacob van Etten, Jonathan Steinke, Kauê de Sousa
 
-**Speeding up agricultural innovation through large-scale participatory experiments**
+The tricot approach (triadic comparison of technology options) is a participatory method designed for product use testing in agriculture. It has been applied in on-farm trials, consumer testing, concept evaluation, and iterative product development. The approach leverages citizen science to generate robust, scalable insights across diverse environments and user contexts. Here's how it integrates into different aspects of product use testing:
 
-Under climate uncertainty, many farmers need to change their agricultural practices, adopt new crop varieties, switch to using different inputs, or apply new management strategies. But there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Triadic comparison of technology options (tricot) is a research methodology that helps farmers to identify the most suitable technologies for the local conditions of their farm. Tricot (read: ‘try-cot’) engages farmers as ‘farmer researchers’ in the testing or validation of new crop varieties and other promising technologies.
+1. On-Farm Testing
+
+Farmers receive three randomly assigned technology options (e.g., seed varieties, fertilizers) and independently evaluate their performance under local conditions. No direct supervision is required, making it cost-effective and scalable, especially in remote areas. Data collection focuses on farmer-reported outcomes such as yield, resilience, and preference, linked to environmental metadata (e.g., soil, climate), socio-economic metadata (e.g., market preferences, household dynamics, management practices) and DNA metadata.
+
+2. Consumer Testing
+
+Tricot integrates consumer preferences for end-use products (e.g., taste, cooking quality, shelf life). Farmers and end-users assess outputs from tested options (e.g., crops, processed goods) to ensure alignment with market demands. The approach helps bridge the gap between agricultural production and consumer needs by combining field performance with end-user satisfaction.
+
+3. Concept Testing
+
+Tricot can be used to evaluate broader concepts, such as innovative farming practices, new varieties and agroforestry designs. Participants compare three alternatives in usability, practicality, or benefits, ensuring the development of context-specific solutions. This iterative testing phase supports refining ideas before large-scale implementation.
+
+4. Farmer-Centric Data and Decision Support
+
+By empowering farmers as co-researchers, tricot generates farmer-driven data, enriching breeding programs and product development pipelines. Insights into environmental interactions and user preferences guide demand-driven breeding and agricultural innovation. The ClimMob[https://climmob.net/] Platform enable real-time data collection, analysis, and visualization to inform decision-making.
+
+5. Scaling and Adaptation
+
+Tricot's simplicity allows broad implementation across geographies, crops, and technologies. The model is adaptable to low-resource settings, supporting smallholders while enabling private sector product testing. It also fosters inclusivity, involving women, youth, and marginalized groups in the innovation process.
+
+6. Outcomes and Impact
+
+Enhances crop diversity and resilience by tailoring recommendations to local needs. Increases adoption rates by aligning product characteristics with farmer and consumer preferences. Supports sustainable and climate-adaptive agriculture by integrating real-world testing with robust scientific analysis. In summary, the tricot approach is a dynamic, end-to-end solution for product use testing in agriculture, integrating farmer trials, consumer insights, and conceptual testing. It drives innovation by prioritizing user needs, ensuring product relevance, and enabling resilient and inclusive agricultural systems.