ONLINE Data entry
Beginning in 2020, all Colonial Waterbird Program volunteers will enter their field data into a brand new online database! The new website allows volunteers of the Colonial Waterbird Program to enter their datasheets into an online form from any computer with internet access. This helps SFBBO biologists save time and gives citizen scientists a chance to work with the data they helped collect in the field. We are very excited to launch this new website, which was designed by Gabbie Burns and Angelo DiNardi, because it directly uses volunteer feedback from our 2017 survey (see results below) to improve the process of data entry.
Please enter your data as soon as possible after visiting your colony (and before your next visit), and continue to send your datasheets and colony maps to SFBBO (send by email to [email protected] or mail to the office). To gain access to the new online database, please email [email protected].
Please enter your data as soon as possible after visiting your colony (and before your next visit), and continue to send your datasheets and colony maps to SFBBO (send by email to [email protected] or mail to the office). To gain access to the new online database, please email [email protected].
2017 Volunteer Feedback on Data Entry
In 2017, SFBBO partnered with CitSci.org to pilot an online database for the Colonial Waterbird Program. SFBBO staff created a survey to obtain some feedback about the user experience to improve the database for future seasons. In this survey, we asked the volunteers several questions about their experience entering their data on Citsci. Below are three questions we asked and the responses from the volunteers that took the survey.
The results indicated that entering data quickly was a priority for most of the respondents, using 1 electronic form for datasheets was moderately important, and access to website features and viewing historical data were the least important (Figure 1).
- Rank the following online database features based on their importance to you (One electronic form for datasheets, viewing historical data, access to website features (i.e maps, charts, graphs), and entering data quickly).
The results indicated that entering data quickly was a priority for most of the respondents, using 1 electronic form for datasheets was moderately important, and access to website features and viewing historical data were the least important (Figure 1).
Questions 2 and 3 are combined onto one graph.
2. Please enter how many minutes it took you to fill out all datasheets on CitSci for one survey date (e.g. 45 minutes). Write "n/a" if you never entered data online.
3. How much time are you willing to spend entering data online per survey date?
The results showed that the majority of respondents spent between 30 and 60 minutes entering data and would also be willing to spend that same amount of time entering data in the future (Figure 2).
2. Please enter how many minutes it took you to fill out all datasheets on CitSci for one survey date (e.g. 45 minutes). Write "n/a" if you never entered data online.
3. How much time are you willing to spend entering data online per survey date?
The results showed that the majority of respondents spent between 30 and 60 minutes entering data and would also be willing to spend that same amount of time entering data in the future (Figure 2).
Other features that were suggested by the volunteers to improve the process of data entry were: 1) having mobile access to the database, 2) entering data into a table, and 3) having a database with a “memory” that defaults to previously entered data so you don't have to re-enter it each time. We are using these responses and suggestions to prioritize updates to the online database for future seasons. Thank you to all of those who responded.
That's all, folks! If you have questions, be sure to review the FAQ section of the volunteer manual. You can also visit the home page to contact SFBBO's Outreach Coordinator. Thank you for contributing to the Colonial Waterbird Program.