Improving the effectiveness of citizen science projects for environmental monitoring through the targeted activation of selected stakeholder groups

The understanding the motivations and benefits of potentially participating individuals in citizen science (CS) is a key element in the success of CS projects This knowledge is essential for developing effective strategies to recruit, engage and retain CS participants, and ultimately to increase the data quality in environmental science projects. Marketing tools such as stakeholder analysis and Value Proposition Canvas (VPC) are recognised as valuable tools in CS. Similar to a customer-focused approach in a business context, these tools are able to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, engagement and evaluation of CS initiatives, when integrated into recruitment and communication processes. The presented poster highlights the use of quantitative measures, specifically key performance indicators (KPI's), to measure inputs, activities and outputs in CS projects. KPIs provide quantitative evidence of project success and play a critical role in helping stakeholders trust the reliability of citizen science data. The poster presentation shows the applicability of marketing tools in CS projects using exemplarily a case study focusing on the observation of urban climate effects. By involving diverse groups and taking into account their everyday activities, CS projects can broaden their data sources and increase their impact. It also highlights the need for continuous adaptation to ensure the relevance and success of CS initiatives, as future analyses of urban climate impacts may require targeting new groups to fill data gaps.