iSpot and iSpot Mobile: A Participatory Science Application

for Natural History

Will Woods and Doug Clow

www.ispot.org.uk

250,000 observations >280,000 images >30,000 registered users 7,000 species identified

iSpot

Broadcasts

Experts

Mentors

UsersFormal

learning & OER

iSpot Keys

Quizzes

Rapid response of the iSpot social network

Time taken for the first ID to be offered

Cum

ulati

ve %

iden

tified

n = 64,669 Observations submitted without an ID

iSpot networking

Observation

Identifier

n = 506

iSpot Coverage in the UK

Global iSpot

Benefits of mobile

• Availability: more phones than PCs• Portability: in your pocket• Immediacy: instant on• Context: GPS• Connectivity: links to web• Social interaction: links to people• Individuality: personal

Mobile issues

• Connectivity?• Platform specificity?• Cost?• Accessibility?• Interface constraints?• Equity?

Purpose of App

• To allow users to upload observations and interact with the iSpot community whilst outdoors

• To enable iSpot website functionality on a mobile device in a native format using the enhanced capabilities of a multi-touch mobile phone

Browser

Cross-platform *Connectivity required Zero installation Restricted functionality

App

Platform specific Off-line use feasible New marketplace Full functionality

phones with large touch screen phones with small screen and cursor

http://www.ispotnature.org/mobilekeys

iSpot mobile keys

iSpot app for Android phones

iSpot app functionality• Upload observation

– Photo, location, identification

• Browse observations– Own observations– Latest observations

• Provide identification; agree identification

• Manage profile & account

• Social, personal and community aspects– Commenting and identifying observations– “around here” functionality– filtering

“Overall I have found the app to be extremely stable, easy to navigate and fairly intuitive.”

“Pull down icon menu intuitive once you try it for the first time” “Tried taking photo of pot plant and identifying it. Intuitive interface. Easy to add details. Recognised my location. …Pleased to see my first observation appear on iSpot.”

“The app crashed only once in more than two hour's use, which is a very noticeable improvement on the last version.”

“'Around here' map showing locations of observations in my immediate vicinity seems clear …and easy to use”

Future Mobile Plans

• Responsive Design Site + Cross Platform App– HTML5 i.e. available across device types– International rather than UK specific– Regional mapping layers (localisation)– Incorporating user feedback– Improved social tools– Ecology relationships – Bioblitz (surveying) included

• iSpot Team: Jonathan Silvertown, Doug Clow, Will Woods, Richard Greenwood, Richard Lovelock, Greg Roach, Mike Dodd, Martin Harvey, Rachel Ward, Jon Rosewell, Janice Ansine, iSpot Mentors…and the community!

• Photos: Mike Dodd, Jonathan Silvertown, Martin Harvey

Will.Woods@open.ac.uk @willwoods

Doug.Clow@open.ac.uk @dougclow

www.ispotnature.org