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AARDVARK
Aardvark is statistical software to analyse time trends and compliance with consents and standards in effluent and water quality data.
Conventional water quality monitoring can generate enormous amounts of data. But that isn’t the desired end product, and this can lead to the “Data Rich but Information Poor” (DRIP) syndrome. What’s really required is the information that’s locked inside the data. To get this, organisations need:
- Expertise in statistics – to identify appropriate data analysis methods
- Computing expertise – to translate them into appropriate software
Unfortunately these skills may not be available, which means that costly data is not fully utilised, and new monitoring programmes may well be inefficient.
The WRc Aardvark software (Analyse Any Routine Data; Visually Acquire Real Knowledge) is specifically designed to meet the needs of the non-statistician fulfilling a data analysis role. It provides easy access to a variety of statistical methods, and its graphical analyses can help answer many of the most common questions asked of routine environmental quality monitoring data, such as:
- Is the quality getting better?…or worse?…or more variable?
- Are changes gradual…or sudden?
- Are we doing enough sampling…or too much?
Aardvark does not use baffling statistical terms, but gives the benefits of:
- A range of statistical techniques
- Sound conclusions without jargon
- Flexible graphics
- Scrutiny of raw data
If you would like to see a demonstration of the types of analyses that Aardvark can do then please take a look at either of the two demos below.
The examples have been chosen to reflect the different uses that Aardvark is commonly put to within the water industry:
- “Riv_demo" uses examples from river monitoring and focuses mainly on time trends in data.
- “Eff_demo” uses sewage treatment works effluent data and focuses on types of analysis particularly suited to compliance with specific environmental targets.
However, Aardvark analyses can easily be applied to other monitoring applications, such as process effluents that need to meet environmental requirements, within the following industries:
- Pharmaceutical
- Chemical
- Metals
- Food processing
- Power generation
If you are involved in these industries, it may be wisest to look at the “Eff_demo”, as this is more tailored towards compliance data.
For any application requiring more general trend analysis please look at “Riv_demo”.
Of course, you can look at both of the demos - this will give you a better flavour of the range of analyses available. However, please be aware that essentially the first half of each demo is the same, dealing with general Aardvark information, before then they diverge into selected examples & analyses.
Where can I get Aardvark?
For a free trial version of Aardvark, download here.
If you would like to purchase Aardvark please visit the WRc Bookshop. Standalone and network licences of Aardvark are available. Email aardvark@wrcplc.co.uk to check which licence best suits your circumstances.
Are you an Aardvark User?
If you are an Aardvark user, we would like to hear from you. Tell us about your experiences of using Aardvark so that we can take these into account for further development of the software. Email: aardvark@wrcplc.co.uk.
User Questionnaire
To complete the user questionnaire, please click User Questionnaire.
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