Identify and understand target participants
It sounds obvious, but we’re all different. Our individual motivations, interests and concerns differ widely. In project terms, what works for one group of potential participants (e.g. naturalists) may be less effective with another (e.g. school children). Research has shown that many people participate in citizen science projects for social reasons (e.g. to meet new people) and to gain practical skills (e.g. botanical identification skills, team working), rather than to gain knowledge. It is important to respect the diverse motivations of volunteers.
Identify your target participants early on as the choice will affect the protocols, data capture systems and training approaches that you develop, and the style of language used within these. It will also affect the type, geographical spread, sampling frequency and volume of data that can be gathered. So get the participants involved as early as possible – you may think you understand them, but it is easy to miss something obvious or unexpected about their needs or ways of doing things. Remember that when developing a co-created project, the target participants should be represented on the project team.
Hints and tips
• It is easy to say that a project is aimed at the ‘general public’ and some mass-participation surveys can be, but in most circumstances one size doesn’t fit all. Supporting materials generally need to be tailored to specific audiences and ‘hooks’ to attract publicity may also differ according to the potential participants.
• Try to share ideas with potential participants at an early stage, gauge their response and identify local or social relevance. What are their interests and motivations? Do they have specific technology, access or training requirements?
identification skills, team working), rather than to gain knowledge. It is important to respect the diverse motivations of volunteers.
Identify your target participants early on as the choice will affect the protocols, data capture systems and training approaches that you develop, and the style of language used within these. It will also affect the type, geographical spread, sampling frequency and volume
• We often make assumptions concerning what will work with a given group of participants. These are usually based on our own personal experiences, which are unlikely to be representative, so take the time to listen to your participants.
• If you have the time and existing materials, one of the best ways to learn about participants is to run a small-scale trial. Visit a local community (e.g. a school, residents’ association or local natural history society), present your ideas, and give the audience a chance to try out your of data that can be gathered. So get the participants involved as early as possible – you may think you understand them, but it is easy to miss something obvious or unexpected about their needs or ways of doing things. Remember that when developing a co-created project, the target participants should be represented on the project team.
initial protocols. A good response does not inevitably mean that your idea would work as a national mass participation project, but a poor one suggests that you need to change your approach, or perhaps even focus your resources elsewhere.