CyberTracker is an intriguing database that supports PDA-based field data collection. Originally developed to support conservation work employing illiterate bushman in South Africa, the developers have offered up the program as freeware for other wildlife projects (see http://www.cybertracker.co.za).

I created the Northwest sequence for CyberTracker to serve my needs as both a tracker and a birder. My intent is to collect various types of data about animal sign either as part of a formal census project or when in the field on my own. Examples of questions I want to answer are:

• What animals (or birds) are using an area?
• Where are forest carnivores found?
• What is the pattern of use in an area? How does it change over time?
• What are the typical track measurements for a species (or individual)?
• What are the typical measurements for various gaits for each species?

Figure 1 provides a visual overview of the sequence. The specifics of the branching data sequences were left out to simplify the diagram. The arrows indicate the main path through the sequence and return arrows pointing to the OK destination.

The Start Menu organizes information about the survey and controls your GPS. The Category Menu points to the appropriate species list. Once you have identified the species, then select the type of information you want to record for that species from the Data Menu. When you complete the data sequence you chose and press OK, CyberTracker records a GPS waypoint (if the GPS is on), saves the data for this observation, and returns you to the Data Menu so you can enter other information about that species.

The data sequences branching from the Data Menu are:

• Track measurements - front length and width, pad length and width, hind length and width. Record measurements in millimeters. Do not include the claws.
• Gait measurements - Enter type of gait, stride, and straddle. For gallops or bounding gaits, enter group measurement. For slow walks (amble), fast walks, or side trots record "offset" (distance from front foot to hind foot). Record measurements in inches.
• Sighting - Enter number of animals seen.
• Sign – type of sign observed. Select the option that best describes the type of sign you observed. For example, while following a deer trail through the grass select "trail". While
• Behavior – notes on behavior observed.

Navigation revolves around the data menu. That works fine for multiple entries for a single species but not when selecting a new species. Unfortunately CyberTracker only supports one OK destination per branch so I simply back up one step to the species list from the Data Menu as a shortcut. Otherwise you end up back at the Start Menu.

Locally we have standardized on Jim Halfpenny’s approach to measurement so the Track and Gait measurement sequences are built primarily around his terminology. I have added a couple personal variants to measure "offsets" due to speed changes or side gaits as part of a little analysis I hope to do.

The sign and behavior sections are still evolving. For example, I am considering using Jim Halfpenny’s compendium coding system for behavior.

The Bird ID branch of the Northwest sequence for CyberTracker is designed to allow you to record bird species seen, GPS waypoints where the bird was seen, and to record counts for census projects. It employs the 6-letter coding scheme used with the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) rather than a list due to the sheer number of possible species.

I have constructed this sequence from scratch rather than piggyback on some earlier version of the North American sequence developed by Wilderness Awareness School. It is my own design but I did borrow some ideas from sequences developed by Terry Kem (Deerdance tracking school and Portland Audubon Society) and Dr. James Halfpenny (Naturalist World).

The Northwest sequence reflects my interest in collecting information primarily about the target species, not about the process of tracking. It also reflects some emerging design principles that have helped me.

• Keep it simple. The sequence should be linear as much as possible.
• Minimize key strokes. Put the things you always want to code first (e.g., species) and things you rarely need last. In this way the user does not have to skip over screens and can choose to stop at any point in the sequence.
• Keep in mind the data displays and extracts you plan to make. I ended up with a very long mammal species list because to split it into smaller family lists would have greatly complicated the construction of tabular displays and extracts. I feel there is a real design tradeoff between ease of entry for new users (e.g., choose family, then species) and efficiency of of queries.
• Use words rather than icons in lists and menus. A picture may be worth a thousand words but then which thousand? Icons tend to be very ambiguous and difficult to learn, thus actually pose a barrier for most users. Just watch someone try to wade through an icon-based species list. Icons are a "cool" feature of CyberTracker but I would argue that there are only a few places where the improves ease of use. For example a diagram of the desired track and gait measures would help new trackers who are just learning the terminology.