What is the general goal of the feature?
We use the metadata field "username" to attribute our data collectors' survey effort by automatically recording the "username" in every form. However, many data collectors forget to update this field, leading to incorrect attribution and post-survey QA effort.
Could the username be made easier to update?
I'm not an expert in UI/UX, but some options my data collectors and coordinators came up with are:
- Top level menu entry "Who am I" or "configure user" (looking for a better label than jargon-y "update metadata") as shortcut (with admin settings option to hide) to page "update metadata".
- Top level menu entry "configure device" allowing users to scan a (pre-printed or emailed) QR code to update some/all/non-sensitive settings (including but not limited to username). Note this could interfere with server settings / blank forms.
- Ideal solution: partial settings update (in my case, username only) via QR code with a top level button "scan my settings".
- Low cost solution: Move "update metadata" to the top level settings menu.
What are some example use cases for this feature?
- Our data collectors are mostly volunteers, some not too technically minded, grabbing devices at 5am and heading out to survey turtle nesting beaches for turtle tracks and nests.
- Many data collectors share few devices. The username must be changed with every data collector.
- Typing on a touch screen at 5am, even one's own name, is extremely error-prone. Scanning a QR code would eliminate typos but fails if QR code is not available/forgot to bring.
- Using email instead of username might be easier to match to users, but extra typing effort (plus typos) is a considerable dent in the UX (unless scanned in via QR code).
- It's not always possible for a well-trained coordinator to hand out devices and during that hand-over and ensure that metadata are updated.
- Other use cases might prefer email over usernames or have reason to update other (custom, see https://github.com/opendatakit/collect/issues/443) metadata fields.
What can you contribute to making this feature a reality?
Field testing / UAT
Original issue: https://github.com/opendatakit/collect/issues/2573