Form Analysis Canvas: Any Activity

Purpose

Use the Form Analysis Canvas at APOPT Form Analysis as an open coaching workbench for an activity that does not fit a predefined template. Create an analysis that is useful, repeatable, and honest about what the video can support.

How the Canvas is used

The Canvas can compare clips or angles, pause and annotate frames, draw joint or reference lines, estimate visible angles, mark events, and organize coach observations. It is appropriate for a novel sport skill, dance or movement sequence, occupational movement, adapted activity, or a custom phase comparison.

The coach must define the measurement logic. Choose landmarks and events before reviewing the outcome, document the camera setup, and avoid inventing normative thresholds without credible evidence.

Deriving actionable insight

Build a mini protocol:

1. State the athlete question and desired result.

2. Define the observable event or phase.

3. Specify camera view, landmarks, repetitions, and context.

4. Record what counts as an improvement.

5. Test one cue or constraint.

6. Reassess with the same setup.

90–120 minute assignment

0–15 minutes — Define the activity. Obtain authorization and choose a movement question not already covered by a dedicated app.

15–35 minutes — Design the protocol. Define the phases, camera view, landmarks, repetitions, context variables, and acceptance test.

35–55 minutes — Capture. Record at least three comparable trials or two views.

55–80 minutes — Build the analysis. Annotate the key frames, make only defensible measurements, and list uncertainty.

80–100 minutes — Coach and retest. Deliver one cue or task constraint and repeat the activity.

100–120 minutes — Evaluate the protocol. Decide whether the protocol produced reliable information and what should change next time.

Questions to answer

1. Why was the Canvas preferable to a sport-specific app?

2. How did you define phases and landmarks before interpreting the result?

3. What is the acceptance test?

4. Which uncertainty has the largest effect?

5. Could another coach repeat the protocol from your instructions?

Generative AI knowledge check

Prompt 1: “Audit this de-identified custom movement protocol for unclear landmarks, outcome bias, camera problems, and non-repeatable instructions. Return a revised protocol.”

Prompt 2: “Ask me to defend each metric in my Canvas analysis. For every metric, require an observable definition, a reason it matters, a limitation, and an action it may support.”

Prompt 3: “Pretend you are another coach trying to reproduce this analysis. List every missing instruction and create a pass/fail acceptance test for repeatability.”

Deliverable

Submit the protocol, annotated analysis, before/after comparison, athlete response, and a short repeatability audit.