Accelerated learning from the pilot!

Hi everyone! So it only took about 12 hours to learn a lot about setting up and administering a new iNat project. If I had to do it over again, I would have talked to some experts first!

I had to learn, or re-learn, that folks need to join the project as a proactive action from their end. THEN I learned that my initial assumption that I needed to add people as under "Include Users" was not only incorrect, but if anyone was listed under Include Users, iNat took that as a switch that prevented others who joined from being able to see their observations. Now that was unexpected behavior for me! So, as of about 1025 Saturday 2/4/23, I deleted the several users I had listed under "include users", and presto, the number of observers listed jumped from only 3 to 15! Going forward, as soon as you join, your observations should become visible in the project.

With one caveat: the project is set to filter such that only your observations from Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, DC, Fairfax County, and Fairfax City will be visible. That could be tweaked and I will listen to feedback. (Maybe we should all be able to see your amazing obs from your exotic trip to Belize?)

My thanks to everyone for participating and bearing with me during the slightly rough launch. Please shout out if you have comments!

Posted on February 4, 2023 03:32 PM by steveyoung