Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Volunteers Motivation
It takes a huge effort to ensure, that the collected data correctly predicts the real
situation, which implies a need for sufficiently motivated participants. If the project
is based on volunteers, it is necessary to rely on their good feeling to do socially
useful activities. It is convenient to create a community of users.
The willingness of ordinary residents to spontaneously organize larger sensing
events is limited. Spontaneous measurements are rather performed by individuals,
who tend to focus on certain areas, in which they typically move (Stevens
2012
;
Mart
´
et al.
2012
) Therefore, it is appropriate to proceed to more sophisticated
methods of motivation. One of them is gamification, which allows creating a
community of players based on their competitiveness and efforts to compare their
achievements with others. Such a community can then measure the noise also in
areas not covered by regular contributors (Mart
´
et al.
2012
).
According to Zichermann and Cunningham (
2011
), it is appropriate that such
games should be divided into several levels, where players gradually go through on
the basis of their efforts from the lightest to more difficult. New game elements
should be unlocked by players, based on their activities and contribution to the
game. To motivate players to longer contribution, it is recommended to transfer
certain powers to the user, who reached high game levels. Likewise a gamer
s
inactivity should slowly decreases his/her evaluation and capabilities. The main
stimulant of such game is however a system of rewards and free gifts. These gifts
are attractive for players because they materialize players
'
differences. A signifi-
cant stimulus may be also involving in the wider context of social networks, such as
FourSquare (
2013
) (a successful social game created for commercial purposes,
which crosses the boundaries between the virtual and the real world by providing
physical rewards to its users).
Such an application for noise observation is suggested by Mart
´
et al. (
2012
). A
player
'
s game progress is based on the number of measurements and thereby
increasing his or her game level. The game begins with measurements on sites
where the player spends time most often, and continues to farther sites. Obtaining
measurements from different areas and completing various other tasks of the game
narrative opens uncommon tasks that can give some unusual abilities to the player.
Using this strategy, not only number of measurements is evaluated, but also their
quality. This concept is currently being tested (Universitat Jaume I
2013
). The
greatest danger of this technique is the possibility of proliferation of such games.
As follows from the previous text, also the cartographic visualization must be
designed to motivate users to supply additional data and improve their quality.
Therefore, it should be appropriate to create a visualization that supports the
concept of gamification. The map should remind players of the game plan and the
visualization should support the user
'
s playfulness and game narratives.
'
