How to add and edit an observation

What is it? 

An observation is a snapshot of water quality at a location on a given day, everything a data contributor records during one visit. The person who uploads it owns it, and it belongs to the location, dataset, and organization it was collected for.

An observation is made up of readings. A reading is a single piece of information collected about the water, either something you measure or something you observe. There are two types:

• Quantitative readings, the measured values for water quality parameters, like dissolved oxygen, pH, or temperature, each tied to the equipment and units set up in the observation form.
• Qualitative readings, things you observe and describe rather than measure with a number, like water colour, weather conditions, or whether there's visible algae.

Beyond readings, an observation also includes metadata, the date and time of testing and who collected it and may include pictures or notes for extra context.

Why is it important?

An observation is where the data starts. It's what the water looked like, and the measured results were from one specific day at one specific location. On its own, it's a useful record of that moment. Added to all the data collected at that location, it becomes part of the trend that helps answer the real question: is this water healthy? 

Who is responsible in your organization?

Anyone who's a member of the dataset can add an observation to a location they have access to. If you added the observation, you own it and can edit or delete it. Dataset administrators can edit or delete any observation in the dataset.

How do you do it? 

For data explorers and contributors

Data explorers who aren't members of the dataset can't add or edit observations.

Data contributors who are members or admins of the dataset can add a new observation to any location in the dataset. To add an observation, navigate to the location page (either from the dataset or your dashboard) and click + Add new observation.

From your dashboard you can click the green + icon to quickly add a new observation to a location assigned to you.

If you own an observation, you can edit or delete it from the light blue menu-bar.

For dataset administrators

Dataset administrators can follow the same steps as contributors to add an observation. They can also import historical data from a CSV to bulk-create multiple new observations at once

Dataset administrators can edit or delete any observation in the dataset, even those they did not create.