The Goal

We are in the design and planning phase of a new climate change-related citizen science web prototype (related to "UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts"). The prototype will be a mobile-friendly website that allows citizens to take and submit photos and other “ground truth” observations to the Trusted Authorities, during /after floods. This information can be used to help the authorities assess and predict the flood or disaster scope and impact.

We are in the design and planning phase of a new citizen science web application prototype. The goal of the prototype is to demonstrate a feedback loop between citizens and trusted authorities during climate change-affected natural disasters, such as flood. We need to enlist citizen scientists, NGOs and trusted authorities to help evaluate how useful and easy to use our prototype features are.

We plan to perform two citizen science simulations over the course of our overall project. The first one will be a limited “alpha”, likely run in Ottawa (although student assistance can be done remotely). It is intended to test our early functionality, course-correct any issues or gaps, and identify the required simulation participants, test scripts, training, communication, coordination, and identify how best to evaluate the results.

We therefore need help planning, communicating with interested parties, and holding the event with them to capture the alpha/beta test feedback.

Your Contribution

This is an "alpha software test event" conducted with with citizen scientists, NGOs, and other interested third parties.Contribute research, event coordination, marketing and communications, and logistical help as we organize the alpha test. Help us prepare and use surveys / questionnaires to capture the alpha test feedback from participants.

At the start of the project we will provide a walk-through of our prototype site and content. We will also provide a wealth of background material on the application, its use case, goals and objectives, and even detailed low-level fidelity wireframes. and other recommendations behind the proposed citizen science web application features.

We will avail ourselves to meeting with students participating in this study once a week or as necessary to provide guidance and suggested research.