NatureMapr update: Improved Add Sighting user experience and ID/taxonomy selection

Thanks Aaron, this concept is unreal and a massive improvement. Awesome work, mate. I think there might just need to be a tweak to the "Identification" input box, as when I was submitting a sighting it was already populated and so I didn't realise that was where I type in the name of the species, and it appears others might be experiencing the same. Does that make sense?

Thanks for the invaluable feedback mate. So do you mean, you clicked one of the quick links to a category (which then populated a value inside the box?) and so it was unclear what to do after that? So your sighting came through with just a category suggestion rather than you typing in a specific species?

okay I just saw the note from Matthew Frawley about typing the name into the box so I typed the name in (like Matthew didn't realise could type it in there) but 2 came up with different Latin names with the same common name, some of the names I can remember if I see them, but not all of them. So, when I didn't know and clicked off there it all disappeared which meant after I found the Latin name on another window I had to start from scratch again to do the sighting name. Like Matthew, I do really like the new clickable links but it looks like it still needs some tweeking. Keep up the great work. Thanks for all you do. cheers Deb

Awesome feedback RodDeb - please keep the feedback coming everyone so we can tweak and nail this down.

To answer your question Aaron, yes, the identification box is populated with the category name, so I didn't realise I should type in the species there. But now I know I do but it is annoying that it is populated because I have to delete it before typing in what I want to identify. This is on the web page that I'm talking about. And, yes the sighting just came through as a category suggestion.

Just a question around that final step, if I am submitting a butterfly sighting that I know is a skipper but I'm a little unsure of which species, when I choose Insects - Butterflies - Skippers - then at the final step is it possible to get a list of the skippers so that I may recognise the species name from the list if I'm unsure?

"then at the final step is it possible to get a list of the skippers so that I may recognise the species name from the list if I'm unsure?"

Yep exactly. I expected this would likely come up as the next logical improvement to this tool and agree we need it. I just have to work out the best way to display the, all in the limited real estate but agree 100% we need this.

Thanks Aaron, it's a really good improvement. I just noticed that I can simply start at the identification box if I know what it is and just type in the name. This saves a lot of time for all those Common Brown sightings I submit compared to the old drop-down list method. Very cool.

Oh thank you just noticed you have fixed the description box already. I have found I can just add the Latin name in the box rather than clicking on all the pretty catergories and this was much faster. Is okay if you are sure what the animal or plant etc. is. Also I have noticed that with each sighting I add my list of recent categories and recent species is growing on the page under the ID box, if it keeps adding them all it may get to be a long way down to adding extra info like size etc. and then click on report this sighting. Is it necessary to have this do you think? Perhaps there could be an option to open and close the info so it takes up less room.

Thank you for all your work!

Great to hear Matthew and RodDeb. Yep much faster to type latin name directly into the search query box and away you go. You can alternatively type (or simply click) on a category. Hopefully RodDeb you should only get a max of 5 Recent Species and 5 Recent Categories??

Agree with Matthew's suggestion that ideally child species should show up *somewhere* once a bottom level category is selected...

Hi Aaron and co, this is all great for those that have memorised the Latin names, but in most cases I don't know them so rely on the drop down lists. Lazy perhaps I know but at my age not willing to go to these lengths to memorise all the Latin names. As Mathew suggested, we need the next level available to choose from - with the Common name as well as the Latin name. As I make a lot of contributions the current system adds a lot more work for me as I then need to have a separate Species look-up page for reference. May influence me to just give reporting.
Sorry, I know there is often a great compromise to fit all options but just my two cents worth.

Thanks Aaron yep you are correct only the max of 5 Recent Species and 5 Recent Categories have come up so no problems at all with that. Really appreciate all of your ongoing hard work, thank you.

Great feedback @AlisonMilton thank you. I am the same, I don't know a lot of latin names and like the system to prompt me which species are available within a particular category etc. We will look to add this into the new design very soon. Thanks guys for helping me bed this in.

Great @RodDeb good stuff.

Thanks Aaron, Now that I have begun adding a few records I can see the advantages but would like access to the next child levels.
Great work.

Common name (if it has one) also works if you can't remember the scientific name.

Yep common names work in the search query box. child species selection coming soon...

I tried that but it didn't work. Will try again. Thanks

I rather enjoyed the new upload process - tested it out this morning. However, some latin/common name strings may need to be edited. For example - the Common Brown Butterfly doesn't show up if you type in Butterfly because its not in its latin/common name. The Dragonflies ditto. If I type in Common Brown it appears, but not Common Brown Butterfly. Not a sticking point for me, but may be for others. I usually open a second window anyway and look back if I've had something before to work out what to select this time! (uploading from a computer)

ps and when I edit my post it goes back to the old way. yay!

Ok give that a go now please guys @RodDeb @MatthewFrawley @AlisonMilton @KylieWaldon

Love it!
Thanks for the efforts in bringing this update in.
Did get caught out and bumbled my way through. Realising it was an update instead of a hack or webpage loading issue, I tried different ways to drop in today’s records.
I’m a huge fan!

That's awesome to hear @Jiml thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for your support @LisaH

Excellent development!

Glad you like it @HelenCross

Great work I like being able to type the Latin name as a shortcut but I couldn’t see how to suggest a new species, it seems only existing species can be used now

Great feedback @SimoneC thanks. You're correct that suggest a new species is not currently there in the new search/ID tool. But for now, you can still suggest a new species from the main Sighting page or the Edit Sighting page..

Ok @michaelb @MatthewFrawley planning to apply the new category/species selector design to the Edit Sighting page today.

Hi all - this new tool has now also been applied to the Edit Sighting page - bye bye old 3 dropdown lists.

Hi Aaron - I'm having a challenge on Southern Highlands NM. It's a bit difficult to describe, so please bear with me. Maybe if I use a recent example. I just put up a fly. I think it's Austalis copiosa. When I put that in the Identification box up pops Insects/TrueFlies/Hover flies. But the original term "Austalis copiosa" drops out. I then try to select a species from the drop down menu but Austalis copiosa is not offered as an option. As a consequence my entry comes up as "unidentified". This problem has only emerged recently. What am I missing? Any hints?