Citizen science and geomorphology: the citizenMorph pilot system for observing and reporting data on landforms

Sabine Hennig*, Lorena Abad, Danie Hölbling, Dirk Tiede

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Contributory citizen science projects face challenges regarding data quantity and quality. To counteract this, the projects must be centred around citizen needs and preferences, while considering aspects such as the data contribution process, including instructions, project promotion, information provision, feedback and recognition, and the design of the respective elements. Based on an understanding of the relevance of these issues affecting data contribution systems, we must determine which elements we can use to meet citizens' needs and preferences and how to better tailor the system design to citizens' requirements. The citizenMorph project, which aimed to create a pilot system for citizens to collect and report data on landforms, focused on the development of a citizen-centric system with elements that foster and encourage citizen engagement. We used a specifically conceived development workflow that combined participatory design with the prototyping model to involve citizen representatives in different ways and to different degrees in requirement specification, system design and implementation, and testing. This allowed citizens' requirements to be specified and comprehensively considered in the citizenMorph system. Based on the input of citizens who were involved in the development process, the citizenMorph pilot system includes a data contribution application and a project-related website with several project-specific elements that focus on attracting and recruiting citizens to participate and increase their initial and ongoing engagement and willingness to report landform data. This includes traditional and web-based promotion elements, a specifically designed information strategy that considers information detail, depth and presentation media, project and task-tailored data contribution instructions and support, and the possibility for users to find and view the data they contributed on a web map.
Original languageEnglish
JournalEnvironmental Research Letters
Volume17
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Aug 2022

Keywords

  • geomorphology
  • landscape dynamics
  • participatory design
  • prototyping model
  • success factor

Fields of Science and Technology Classification 2012

  • 105 Geosciences
  • 207 Environmental Engineering, Applied Geosciences

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