How to choose a good name for your Citizen Science app

Tuesday, 14 January 2020 15:39

When choosing a name for your Citizen Science app or a project, you're creating a public appearance. You want to make it stand out, and you want people to remember it. Here's a short guideline on how to best achieve precisely that.

What is a good project name?

Imagine, you're talking to a friend on the phone, and he or she tells you about a new app or a new project. Thirty minutes later, you can still remember its name, so you search and find it online- this in a nutshell what a good name for project can achieve. In a best case scenario, a name for an interactive Citizen Science app is short, on-point and communicates a first impression of the project itself. For most Citizen Scientists, reviewers or stakeholders, the project name and the logo is the first thing they will see about your project - its one of the major cornerstones of a project and can make the difference for a successful project in public dissemination or funding. Here is some helpful advice for finding a well working name for your Citizen Science App:

✪ Keep it short and sweet!

A short name is always easier to remember than a long, elaborate one. Combined with the right logo – the first thing most people usually notice - your app or project will stand out as unique and worth remembering.
Ideally, your brand's name and logo already create an image that takes your audience/customers in the desired direction.

✪ Make it sound well

The aesthetic quality of the name and how it is pronounced is important. It is also always good to check if the word or the combination of words are not meaning something completely different or rude in other major languages - even phonetically. We experience our world by association and connections, which can have an influence on deciding wether a name is good or bad. 

✪ Tell a story!

Another essential instrument to further present your brand is the sub-line. This short sentence usually contains an engaging description of what your project/app is all about. The flow of words ideally creates another positive image and invites your audience/your customers/ app users to further engage with your brand/project.

✪ Keep the flow!

Imagine again that phone conversation with your friend. He or she tells you about an observation he or she has made, and you reply: "you should post that on [insert APPNAME here].." Your response comes like it's the most natural thing, the app's name rolls off your tongue easily, as if it's always been here, like an old friend.
That's the effect you want to achieve with the name of any participatory app.

Example logos / names for Citizen Science Apps we created:

Citizen Science App Logos by SPOTTERON

Check out the Page: Media & Logos in the Feature section for more Information

We're here to help!

Here at SPOTTERON, we're happy to assist you with finding the best name for your Citizen Science App and create a custom logo if desired, and therefore make your project stand out! Contact us here!

 

 

Example Horizon Europe / Horizon 2020 Collaborations

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Horizon 2020 Invasive Species Monitoring App

The IPM-Popillia Horizon 2020 project aims to address the challenge of a new risk to plant health in Europe's agriculture and food safety: the invasion of the Japanese Beetle, Popillia japonica. This invasive species was introduced accidentally to mainland Europe in 2014 and can quickly spread by transportation and trade. As a species with a wide range of feeding plants, P. japonica threatens the entire agricultural sector, urban landscapes, and biodiversity in invaded areas.

Learn more about
IPM Popillia | Integrated Pest Management of the Japanese Beetle
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Horizon Europe Citizen Science App

EFFECTIVE, a Horizon Europe initiative, targets the emerging threat to the EU's Mediterranean Blue Natural Capital. By leveraging advanced science, technological nature-based solutions, digitalization, and social implication, the project aims to develop a comprehensive scientific knowledge base and practical guidance for the application of Ecosystem-Based Management to promote large-scale marine protected areas establishment in the European seas.

Learn more about
EFFECTIVE | Protection and Restoration Management of Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas
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Horizon Europe Citizen Science App

TRANSEATION, funded by Horizon Europe, aims to validate a new level of ecosystem-based management by integrating social implication digitalization and nature-based solutions to safeguard and restore marine ecosystem health and services. The project focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of marine and coastal hybrid blue-grey infrastructures and developing digital tools for monitoring, analysis, and social involvement, addressing societal challenges and promoting sustainable management practices.

Learn more about
TRANSEATION | Advancements through Hybrid Blue-Grey Infrastructures in Marine and Coastal Areas
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Horizon 2020 Citizen Social Science App

In Europe and globally, substantial numbers of young people are at risk of social exclusion. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop more knowledge and innovation to create inclusive and youth-friendly societies. The Horizon 2020 R&I Project YouCount contributes to these needs by developing 'actionable' knowledge for social inclusion of disadvantaged youths in the European Union and creating better means for social inclusion through citizen social science.

Learn more about
YouCount | Youth Citizen Science
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Horizon 2020 Citizen Science App

The impact of plastic pollution on soil health is largely unknown. However, the amounts of plastic entering soils are equal to or possibly even more significant than those entering our rivers, seas, and oceans. MINAGRIS, an EU Horizon 2020 funded project, will investigate how plastic affects soil biodiversity, soil functions, associated ecosystem services, and agricultural productivity.
Learn more about
MINAGRIS | Micro and Nanoplastics in Agricultural Soils
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Health Citizen Science App
University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology

StreetMind contributes to a better understanding how environmental factors like urbanicity or climate change influence how individuals across Europe and the world feel, act, and behave. Participants make up their minds with fellow citizens and scientists and share their daily experiences of their surroundings and the environment where they live, work, and interact.

Learn more about
StreetMind

Short News

  • New study from BiciZen project: "BiciZen: Lessons in the Development of a Crowdsourcing Mobile App to Make Cities More Bikeable" published in Journal of Participatory Research Methods. More studies available under the publication page here.

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  • Roadkill project has made wonderful short videos for the citizen scientists! The videos include the Roadkill App functions regarding how to confirm & comment on the spots and how to best take the photos for the project. The videos (in German) are available in the "Österreich forscht" blog here. 

    in Shortnews

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