What is it?
A certification is a badge that shows a volunteer has been trained to collect data following your organization's protocol for a specific dataset. Training can take many forms, whether that's a webinar, an online quiz, or an in-person event.
Why is it important?
Trained volunteers collect more accurate data. Certification significantly reduces human error in the field and gives contributors the confidence to collect data properly and share that knowledge with others. It also makes your data more credible to anyone who wants to use it, because there's a clear record of how contributors were prepared.
Who is responsible in your organization?
Dataset administrators are responsible for defining the certification process. If your organization runs multiple datasets with different protocols, volunteers can be certified separately for each one.
How do you do it?
If you’re a dataset administrator
Head to the dataset you want to set up a certification process for and click "Edit dataset" in the light blue menu at the top left. Scroll to the bottom and fill in the "Certification details" box. You can write out your process there and include links to videos or external resources.
To certify contributors who have completed the process, go to the "Data contributors" tab in the dataset. Check the certification box next to each user, optionally add the date they were certified, and save for each user.
If you’re a data contributor
To find out what certification is required for your dataset, go to the dataset's main page and select "About" from the dropdown menu above the map. Review the requirements listed there. If you've already met them, reach out to your dataset administrator so they can add the certification to your profile. If not, see if you can complete the training on your own, or get in touch with your organization for help getting there.